Second Chances
by Eppinette-Chi
Summary: After the unwanted dissolution of RWBY, Ruby struggles to achieve her ideal of being a hero. (Roman father-figure to Neo, eventual Strawberry shortcake)
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to rwby.

* * *

Ruby's grip slackened as the short ice cream girl bore down over her. Griffin type grim flew around the ship in a massive flock, attracted to the negative emotions. The short girls eyes flashed white as she slowly pressed her blade closer to Ruby, a bit slower than she should have as the huntress in training noticed the release button on Neo's parasol. In an instant the smirk on her face vanished as the pink umbrella flashed open, grabbing the intense winds that whipped over the hull of the massive airship and pulling her along with them.

A streak of guilt flashed through Ruby's mind as she saw the look of fear on the girl's face as she reached out towards the ship in a last attempt to prevent the inevitable.

"NEO!" Cried the Orange haired criminal just beyond reach, his voice tinged with much more than anger, however his hand was too short. Their fingertips almost touched before being ripped cruelly apart.

Retracting back onto her parasol the neopolitan girl seemed very innocent and fragile as she fell on the mercies of the winds and grim. White eyes shone with fear as she drifted farther away from rescue before disappearing entirely into the skies.

Not wasting the opportunity Ruby pulled herself up onto the hull once more to face Roman.

"Damn it Red!" He yelled at her, his voice partially cracking as his face contorted in despair and rage. "Do you have ANY idea what you've done?" A swing of his cane to the right came into direct contact with Ruby's small arms, each raised in defense.

Staggering a few feet backwards Ruby yelled back "Made sure one of your goons can't hurt anyone else?!" Ruby quickly sidestepped avoiding the overhanded strike of Roman's cane, however she was blindsided by the follow up backhand. The force of which caused a partial spin before the huntress landed on her back.

"She's much more than just a goon! She's-" The orange haired criminal yelled, anxiety evident in his tone as he grasped at his hat in frustration, stalling his attack.

"She's what?" Ruby asked partially in an effort to stall the man and partially out of curiosity. As the man grasped for words she managed to push herself around and into a kneeling position. The ship shook again, lending more instability to the battlefield.

"She's the only family I have!" Roman yelled suddenly rushing forwards with another overhanded swing while the ship listed slightly.

Pushing herself out of the way, Ruby managed to stumble back to her feet as she avoided Roman's attack. Her eyes wide in surprise, the huntress tried to vocalize a response. "I-if she's family then … then why are you doing this?! Why are you hurting everyone?!" She couldn't understand committing such crimes, especially when he had family.

"You don't understand Red. Not all of us are as lucky as you. I know it's wrong, but I can't afford to lose!" The man stated, clenching his free hand in distress. "I'm not giving up, I'm going to make sure we survive. No matter the cost!"

"Then why don't you Help Us! I'm sure the hunters and huntresses can keep you safe!" Ruby yelled over the gusting wind while she took a step back from the man. If it was doable, she had to save everyone possible. That's what being a huntress is about right? Being the hero, and making the happy ending a reality.

Roman seemed to chuckle darkly "You don't know what's out there Red, this was the only way! The only way to make sure she wouldn't get hurt." The man replied, oblivious to the dark aura he was emitting. "Nothing in this world comes without sacrifice Red, survival is pretty expensive these days, but as long as I still stand I'll be sure to pay any debt for us! I'll lie, cheat, and steal, but I'll make sure that we survive!"

"Look out!" Ruby exclaimed, reaching out to the criminal but it was too late. The Griffin crashed into the man, quickly pinning him to the hull with it's talons and breaking through the mans' aura and into his chest with it's sharp beak. She moved as fast as she could, decapitating the beast but the initial attack was already over, and Roman was already bleeding heavily. Rushing over to the man, Ruby tried to help.

"Dammit..." Roman coughed as Ruby tried to prop him up to investigate the damage. "It's useless Red" He knew stronger men than himself die from less. "The ship's already going down, you should ….get outta here." He said through gritted teeth, red stained his usually white coat while his cane lay several feet away.

"I can't just let another person in front of me die!" Ruby exclaimed, images of her friend Penny flashing through her mind. It wasn't fair, she couldn't let another family get destroyed, especially if she could save it.

"Come on Red, I'm a criminal if you don't get out of here we'll both die! Just go Red!" Roman yelled, pushing the girl back with any remaining strength he had left.

"No! I don't care! I'm not going-" Ruby started to yell in defiance, pushing herself back towards the wounded man.

"Shut up! You can't save me Red, there's no point." Roman interrupted, his body shaking from the knowledge of his imminent demise. "So if you want to help then...then..." He continued, his voice cracking as tears threatened to break upon his face. "Save my little girl Red, make sure she makes it through this!" An explosion rocked the ship, tilting the hull further downwards.

Gritting her teeth in determination, Ruby stood up after a silent moment. "I will... Don't Worry I will, I promise!" She stated quietly almost to herself before shouting it again at the dying man. Turning her back on him she ran and ran until she reached the edge of the hull, where she jumped.

Another explosion rocked the ship, ensuring its downward trajectory. Roman wiped his face with his sleeve and swallowed hard. He was going to die any minute, but he intended to do so with what little dignity he had left. "I'm sorry Kiddo." He muttered as he pulled out one last cigar from his coat pocket.


	2. The First steps

Ruby felt like she was in a nightmare. She had just witnessed that woman murder Pyrrha. She was the only one that knew what transpired at the top of the tower and...and she couldn't remember what happened after that. Ruby continued to sit in the barely comfortable cot. The sounds of the hastily established medical center rang around her from beyond the small curtain that gave a limited amount of privacy. Ruby pulled the thin blanket closer, her teammates were nowhere to be found.

They seem to have disbanded with the destruction of Beacon academy. Blake had disappeared, thankfully Ruby had at least seen that she was still alive. Weiss was being taken away by her family for safety reasons and Yang... Her older sister was just... not there anymore, her mannerisms, her eyes, they were just empty. But at least she had some idea as to where her team was...

Pyrrha Nikos was listed as missing, and yet so many people seemed to have hope. Especially Juane, he had already visited three times hoping she could remember something but... How was she supposed to say it? How could she say that she watched Pyrrha Nikos die in front of her? To Juane? If she said it... then there wasn't...it would be too real. It couldn't be real, none of this, it wasn't right. Pyrrha was so strong, there was no way she would...

Tears started to well up in Ruby's silver eyes once more. This was all wrong, the whole world was wrong. She was supposed to be a huntress. She was supposed to be the hero, supposed to save the day, save her friends, and ride off into the sunset in a fairytale ending.

"Hey, are you-" Juane started as he pushed his way past the dull curtain that separated Ruby from the rest of the ward, but stopped as he saw her expression.

"Juane!" Ruby exclaimed in a high pitched voice of distress, breaking down into tears and reaching out for the awkward blonde.

"Hey Hey!" Juane said rushing over and embracing his younger friend. He began patting her on the back as she started to weep. He didn't have much experience with this, but a part of Juane felt that it might be better not to speak.

"I-I-I'm s-so sorry Juane!" Ruby struggled between breaths and sobs. She couldn't handle it anymore. "I-I wa-wasn't fast enouuugh. I couldn't -I couldn't save her- I-I" The dark haired girl forced out before devolving back into her sobbing.

The world seemed to fall away,Juane felt numb, he knew what happened. He knew the second she threw him in that weapon locker what would happen. But...he didn't want to believe it, he couldn't believe it. He had foolishly held on to this hope, why? What good did it do? "It's okay Ruby." His voice sounded out, distant from himself. "I-I know." He couldn't stop himself, he couldn't stop time from moving forwards, he didn't want it too. It shouldn't be able too, not without... not like this.

"I-I don't know what to do Juane." Ruby finally got out clutching him tighter. "M-my team's all- they're all- l-leaving me behind!" Tears continued to stream down her face and stain the young blondes shoulder.

"H-hey, we'll think of something." Juane said, his voice continuing to speak without his permission. It even sounded forcefully optimistic. He didn't know. He had never felt so alone. Sh n't... He started to shake as he remembered the feeling of her lips on his, the beautiful shade of her hair, the feeling of her guiding his movements in training...

"I-it's like a nightmare Juane" Ruby said, her body shaking from sadness as she clung to her friend.

"I know." He replied, unwilling to let go. Unwilling to let her see his face. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep it together if he did.

"I can't wake up." The dark haired girl murmured, her body slowly having longer bouts of stillness. Interrupted by the occasional deep intake of breath. Ruby breathed slowly, her eyes beginning to grow heavier. It would be better in the morning a small part of her hoped and fluttered, seducing her into uneasy sleep.

"Me neither." Juane muttered as he held his best friend closely. His voice sounded hollow to himself, on the verge of breaking. He wasn't sure how long it was but Ruby's motions seemed to become still and her breathing even. Pulling himself back a little he found the girl asleep. The shaking in his body doubled and he heard his voice crack. He felt so alone. Pyrrha had taught him everything, without her he... he was nothing. It was cold, like an eternal winter. He felt sick. He had to find someone, someone that was awake. He couldn't stand being alone. As his composure deteriorated Juane rushed to find his remaining team members.

As Ruby fell into an uneasy sleep, the waking world continued to haunt her. Red roses blossomed and scattered through the air, leading her unwaking mind through a dark forest. The only color, that brilliant red, flowed to easily. Falling together on the ground, dripping down the trees, making streams through the dull dirt.

Too soon she was at the end of her journey. The tombstone that she knew so well was now accompanied by three others. Her teammates stood by, but one by one they started to walk away. She tried to scream, tried to tell them to stop, but her voice was silent, and they were unyielding.

"I'm sorry sis I just...can't do it anymore." Yang apologized her hand grasping at her other side in loss.

 _You're stronger than this sis! Please you can't let this beat you down, YANG!_ But she didn't appear to hear her. Slowly she walked away, disappearing into the blackness of the forest. For some reason Ruby felt petrified, her body refused to move, refused to run after her sister.

"I can't let someone that let this happen lead me down the same road." Weiss stated as she looked at the tomb stones, her voice betraying sadness instead of genuine anger. She too started walked away from Ruby.

 _I-I'm sorry Weiss! Don't go, please! I'll try harder, I'll be faster, I'll train more! Please don't leave me Weiss, I thought we were friends!_ Her red cape was too heavy, it was constricting her, anchoring her to the ground. It bled into the environment and held her captive. Silently she reached out for her last teammate. _Please, not you too Blake. Please don't leave me. It wasn't my fault! I couldn't save them! I wasn't fast enough! If only-if only, I could have...Pyrrha, Penny, Torchwick, they would all...please Blake!_

"I'm sorry Ruby-

 _No_

-I don't belong here-

 _Please no_

-I should never have expected to get away from my problems-

 _Please don't go Blake, we can solve them together, please!_

-I'm not going to drag anyone else into this. Please understand" Blake stated, avoiding eye contact with the young girl before walking towards the edge of the forest. She looked back one last time, her golden eyes showing brilliantly against the darkness that was engulfing her. Slowly she walked away as well, she seemed to fragile and hurt as she disappeared among the trees.

Ruby struggled with all her might, grabbing at her cloak that wrapped her tightly. But the more she struggled the more it concealed, covering her eyes and wrapping her body, suffocating and drowning her. Grasping for Crescent Rose Ruby tried to cut through the perfect red.

The petals scattered through the air and caught the winds that blew across the airship's hull. Directly in front of her lay Roman.

The perfect red blanketed him as he lay gasping, hoping for Ruby to grant his dying wish. Turning her back to run away from the scene before her, Ruby almost ran off the ledge looking over the stage. Penny lay in pieces, she wanted to be friends, she knew something was wrong when Mercury wouldn't let her past, why? Why couldn't she have tried harder? She was still too slow.

Dimly Ruby opened her eyes to find the artificial light of the makeshift hospital once more. She tilted her head to see darkness that pervaded the windows, it was still night. She missed the dormitory, when she could crawl into one of her teammates beds if she had a nightmare. When everything seemed carefree and innocent. Pushing herself out of the cot she made her way to retrieve her weapon silently.

She couldn't bear falling asleep again, not that the waking world was much better but... she didn't want to think, she didn't want to remember, and fighting grim didn't allow one to think about anything other than fighting. Using her semblance Ruby quickly evaded the guards and darted into the night of the ruined sections of the city. Small straggling patrols of Atlas continued to make their way back to the safe zone, but it seemed that the Grim now ruled the darkness of the ruins.

This is what she had trained for. Being a huntress. With a fluid draw, her weapon extended into it's glorious bladed form, ready to reap red petals from the grim. She was sure her team would disapprove. Weiss would call her stupid, Blake would say she was being irresponsible, Yang would tell her not to take all the fun for herself...

But they weren't here. Dashing forwards in a rush of red petals she quickly found a beowolf. Her most practiced adversary, she remembered Qrow standing on the sidelines when she fought her first.

The grim...the source of all that was wrong with the world... Without hesitation, without mercy, she struck from behind. The beowolf fell to the ground as his legs broke away from beneath him, followed by those red petals. With another fluid swing one of the beasts arms flew from it's body as well. As the nearly helpless creature landed with a thud on the ground, Crescent Rose met him one last time, spearing through where it's heart should be and pinning it to the ground. It's entire being started to evaporate. It wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough to make this world right. So Ruby continued, dismembering each grim she found. Those that ran...she let run. Ruby remembered what Oobleck had said. The grim learned. So hopefully, if she killed enough, if she showed the others that brilliant red, they would learn. They would leave this place alone, this place that was so dear to her heart. And if they didn't then she would inflict upon them as much pain as she could muster until they were no more.

When they were gone and the academy rebuilt, then team rwby could get back together. They could all go to classes again. Just like normal. Her and Yang, Blake, Weiss, Juane, Ren and Nora, and Pyrrha... Ruby froze remembering her death once more. She trembled and shook, she wanted to go home. She wanted her biggest concern to be getting into the cookie jar again. She wanted to be home wrapped in a blanket with Dad, Yang, and Uncle Qrow around the fireplace.

A howl to her left reminded her of that impossibility. She couldn't get home now, she couldn't stop fighting now either. She was already too deep into grim territory, there would be resistance in any direction. At the same time Ruby knew that if she stood still the grim would probably be attracted to her, her emotions were too erratic, she needed to regain control.

She didn't know how though. The path forwards was obscured, there was a solid wall behind her so where could she go? Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath Ruby remembered her training with her uncle. This wasn't the time to think, to contemplate what to do. There was nothing to do now but fight. Fight and fight and if she was still alive in the morning she could continue from there.

A high caliber gunshot echoed through the city.

* * *

She should have been more careful. It was her own fault she had been so slow to finish the red cloaked girl off. She always did this. Second guess herself at the last minute. Roman had scolded her about it so many times but...she still hesitated. Why? Why couldn't she get over it?! She could beat anyone in a one on one fight but she lacked the resolve that her dad had lectured was so important.

Neo hugged her knees tighter to herself. She hoped he would find her soon. The bar seemed to be an obvious choice. He always liked a drink after the job was done. Even if it was deserted, even if it was in the new grim territory, he would definitely find her.

The early morning air was cold and unforgiving. It seeped through the cracks and chilled the room. Another shiver ran up the small girls frame, accompanied by a small growl. Without power she had no way to heat the frozen food in the freezer. Besides she couldn't leave the main room, he could be here any minute. Her stomach growled again, leading to her investigation of the freezer after failing to keep her resolve.

As she milled through the room, finding inaccessible foodstuffs Neo finally came across a tub of mostly solid ice cream. Shrugging she decided it was better than nothing and set to find some sort of utensil when there was a mild cling in the other room. Her heart skipped a beat, a grim would be much louder, this had to be a person.

Rushing out of the freezer Neo opened her mouth about to scold her Dad for being so slow. However her voice never left her throat, instead there sat a gruff dark haired man at the bartop. He seemed to be taking advantage of the bar's free drinks at the moment.

"Heh, I figured someone would be here." Qrow mumbled before looking over the girl. "Just didn't expect it to be a little girl." He said almost to himself, wheeling his seat around to properly face the neopolitan girl.

In response Neo simply scowled at the man, she held her body still and refused to move from her position.

"Neo right?" He stated, his mildly drunken mannerisms suddenly seeming threatening. The weapon at his side along with his apparel made it clear he was a hunter, not some lowly Atlas foot soldier.

She glanced towards the exit, she was in no condition to fight this man, but she could still use her semblance to get to the door. She edged closer while he continued to talk.

"I know you don't talk, sort of a thing you do. Heard all about from my neices." Qrow continued, taking another swig of his drink.

Neo suddenly started going over the suspects of who could be related to this man in her head as she continued her subtle retreat towards the door.

"Don't worry I'm not gonna beat you up for them or anything like that. Just isn't my style." He stated in that same haggard voice, leaning back in his stool. "But shouldn't you be running along with your criminal buddies?"

The neopolitan girl stopped moving and stood still. Being lumped in with the unimportant pawns was something her Dad made sure would never happen. She was important. They would survive.

"Look I get it, ya got yourself in over your head and everything fell apart. It's only natural to afraid to move forwards." He continued, his tone seemed sincere but something about it was infuriating.

She clenched her fists in anger. He was wrong. She wasn't afraid. Nothing scared her, not the grim, not Atlas, and not the drunken hunter in front of her. She took a step towards him. A part of her tried to remind herself to keep calm, to stay collected, but... She was alone, cold, hungry, sleep deprived, and he was insulting.

"I mean I might hold up here too if everyone abandoned me-" He stated bringing the glass back towards his lips.

Neo couldn't handle this mans taunting for another second. In a flash she jumped forwards, grabbing her parasol that was propped against the countertop and twirling in place. Her weapon swung outwards, a natural extension of her self, connecting with, and promptly sending the glass flying towards the wall where it shattered into a wet streak. She was sure her eyes were white again, she could feel herself barely holding back from shaking in anger. But the other man seemed to scarcely acknowledge her attack.

He was still for a second before closing his mouth and bringing his hand back down with a sigh. "You've got guts kid, but that won't change the fact that-" He started hopping off of his stool, but Neo wouldn't let him finish that sentence.

She couldn't let him mock her again, let him tell her that she was alone. He promised, and he never broke his promises with her. She was different from them. She slammed her hand onto the bartop, cutting off his offensive sentence and getting his attention at the same time. Without pause she produced her scroll and quickly typed up her response. **_You're wrong_**

The man smirked, putting his hands in his pockets. "Oh, and why's that?" He asked, his face already smug from breaking her composure.

Glaring back at the man, Neo remained ready for any sudden moves before answering. _**He promised.**_ However at the look of bored disbelief she felt obligated to continue. _**He promised to take care of me.**_

"He has a funny way of showing it." Qrow responded darkly, observing her current predicament and obviously referencing the destruction they had wrought upon the city.

 _ **Not all of us can be as lucky as you**_. Neo wrote, repeating what Roman had told her so many times before, their situation didn't allow a normal life, didn't allow the choice to be right. However her response seemed to ignite something in the other man. In a flash he had swung his blade and her scroll was cast to the side, but the metal held fast against her parasol, just a few inches from her head on the left. Meanwhile his other hand gripped her wrist, preventing her from drawing her blade any further from her weapon.

His strength was overwhelming, especially after going days without food. Her arms began to shake in the effort it took to hold back his attack. However Neo refused to give in. She glared directly into those deep red eyes while he glared straight back. Her arms began to burn, her aura wasn't strong enough to handle this much strain. He had to notice her weakness, how her blade trembled in her grasp. He said he wasn't going to get back at her for anything but.. If there was one thing Cinder had taught her, people don't keep their word. Just when she couldn't take it anymore he suddenly jumped back, making Neo stumble forwards.

"You got guts kid, I'll give ya that. Reminds me of my pipsqueak." Qrow complimented, lowering his sword and resuming his unfocused stance.

Unwilling to let her guard drop, Neo stood still, keeping her weapons at the ready. She refused to give this man any more words. Her breathing was controlled but heavy. Her arms were still, but only out of relief.

"But do yourself a favor. Don't be too stubborn, just look what your lot got you into." He stated waving her off as he turned around and walked towards the exit.

Neo remained in her spot until the offending man finally left her sight. He didn't understand, it didn't matter what happened, Roman would always make sure she was taken care of. She just had to wait. Taking a mixing spoon from the table, she went back to retrieve her sugary breakfast. Soon, he would be here.

* * *

Ruby barely stood, breathing heavily. Her cloak was in tatters and she had several deep lacerations over her back and left leg. Rose petals dripped from her weapon and stained her clothing, slowly evaporating as grim tend too. But it was true. They had learned. At least the smaller grimm had.

They stood at the outskirts of her vision in apprehension. They no longer attacked her, they no longer charged towards her or attacked from multiple directions at once. They were afraid. Afraid of the strangled cries as Crescent Rose tore at their throats, afraid of the red petals that flew through the air as metal cleaved limbs, afraid the girl cloaked in red that caused so much pain to them. And so Ruby was once again left alone.

She found that in the night she had made a large amount of ground towards one of crash sites. Vaguely Ruby thought about Neo. That night seemed like a lifetime ago, so far away that it wasn't real. But... she had made a promise to Roman, and Neo might have landed somewhere around here.

There were no other paths that she could see now, not without her teammates, not without the academy. So she started her searching. A single crow flew overhead, outlined by the faded grey clouds. Ruby felt a small smile threaten to pull onto her lips. She remembered uncle Qrow telling her that a single crow in the sky was a sign of good luck. That she was protected.

Even if she was just a kid when he told her... The thought still brought a feeling of comfort to her. Continuing towards where the crow originated from, Ruby contemplated her position. If she was going to get her friends back, if she was going to truly be a huntress then... Then she had to be strong, so much stronger.

Breaking her current thoughts was a lovely fragrance...a familiar smell... delicious ice cream! Ruby halted her progress and followed her nose, it would be a shame to let such a sugary delicacy go to waste in the destruction. Bursting through the door of the building withholding such a treasure, Ruby suddenly froze.

Staring back at her in a similar frozen stance of wide eyed shock was none other than Neo. She sat propped against the wall, a tub of mostly melted ice cream next to her with a single spoon still embedded in its goodness.

"Uhm...hey, I'm not here to hurt you or anything." Ruby tried meekly, waving a hand while her eyes continued to dart towards the desert. The edible one.

Neo blinked in response but didn't budge. She continued to watch the other girl in silence as she seemed torn between saying something and the container at her side. After a few moments Neo pushed the container towards the other girl slightly, as if questioning whether that was her goal. She had already had her fill after that man had left.

"I-if you don't mind sharing..." Ruby said a bit apprehensively until it was clear the other girl was offering her the sugary desert. "Yayy!" Ruby squealed diving forwards with extraordinary speed and picking up the desert. Now sitting opposite Neopolitan with a stupid grin on her face, Ruby went back to the mission at hand. Mumbling through a bite of ice cream, she received the token response of a tilted head of questioning.

After swallowing Ruby elaborated. "I'm here to save you Neo!"

Neo blinked and stared at the other girl as if she had grown another head. Thankful that her scroll still had some battery, Neo typed her response. _**What do you mean you're here to save me? Where's Roman?**_ She eyed her companion closely. Ruby faltered. Something had happened, the girl was just trying to appear cheerful. It was unnerving, every time she had heard of Red, every encounter she seemed genuinely happy, determined, strong. But something had happened between that night and this morning. She was... forcing herself.

"Well-" Ruby started but stopped as the other girl shook her head and typed onto her scroll once more.

 _ **What happened?**_

"On the airship?" Ruby questioned slowly, her face giving way to confusion. She was about to get to that part, why would sNeo interrupt her? But instead of a nod, Neo shook her head pointed back at Ruby. Her heart skipped a beat in anxiety. There was no way she could tell anything else was wrong.

 _ **You don't have to act with me, we barely know each other.**_

Ruby's hand holding the spoon shook. She was right, she didn't know this girl. But that didn't matter, she had promised to save her. She would be a huntress, she would save some one. "A lot of people died that night." Ruby started, her voice didn't sound right saying these words. "I'm supposed to become a huntress but...I couldn't..." she continued, for some reason her throat refused to say those words. "h-he made me promise. I'm going to save you." Ruby finished trying her best to appear heroic with a spoon full of ice cream in one hand as she glossed over her failure.

Neo seemed unamused by her companions reply. What couldn't she do? And what promise? And who made her? _**What does that even mean?! You can't expect me to read your mind!**_ She typed onto her scroll.

"Ugh I-I." Ruby started with a deep breath after reading the message. "I want to be a hero so let me save you Neo." She stated with an apparent fire in her eyes, but Neoploitan could see.

She had spent most of her life figuring out how to read people, and the person before her was pleading more for themselves than her own sake. Still Neopolitan felt a slight heat in her cheeks at the other girls proclamation. She could handle herself, she didn't need to be saved like some damsel. Why was Red being so nice to her? _**Who made you promise?**_

"Your Dad did, he...There was a griffin and I wasn't..." Ruby answered carefully, it was clear she didn't want to hurt her. She truly wanted to live up to her idea of a hero it seemed. Her lips continued moving but Neo had stopped paying attention.

That answer shook Neo to her core. Vaguely she heard her scroll fall to the ground. She knew one day he wouldn't be able to keep his promise but... it seemed to impossible. Suddenly feeling a scalding warmth in her hand, Neopolitan looked up from their joined hands to find her new protector. She hated this feeling.

"I-I'm sorry Neo." Ruby stated, her heart was in the right place but... the bags under her eyes, the redness that surrounded them, her tattered clothes. She was in no position to support anyone.

Swallowing her grief Neo pushed herself up, taking her hand away from the other girl. Her Dad had taught her a lot, but right now the most important thing was to survive. And that meant grieving when there was time. She wasn't entirely sure how long she could suppress this sadness, she had never lost anyone this close but...

Neopolitan wiped her eyes and forced a smile. It seemed to make the other girl relax a bit. She picked up her scroll, a crack now ran through the lower corner of the screen but it would work well enough. Standing up and brushing herself off, Neo typed another message for her wannabe savior. _**I'll be ok. You don't have to save me Red, I'll understand if you don't want too. We caused nothing but trouble for you and your friends.**_

After reading her message Ruby seemed to be more determined than before. Jumping up she exclaimed. "No, he told me about what he did, how this was all to make sure you were safe but... I'm not just doing this for your Dad. I...I need to save something,... someone." Her body was on the verge of shaking again, and her hands were clenched in effort. Her new home was falling apart, her team was disintegrating, she had lost friends right in front of her. Ruby refused to let this continue. The heroes she used to read, those pure shining beacons of hope, always showed mercy towards a fallen foe. They refused to accept this darkness, this grim reality, they always fixed it in the end.

Neo felt her cheeks flush once more. She knew that this was too good to be true, that she would only cause problems, she didn't belong on That side, she wasn't lucky enough to be on that side...and yet the girl before her was making her believe she could. A small glimmer of hope that she could find another home, she couldn't let herself believe it. _**I'll only cause problems if I joined you.**_

However Ruby just shook her head and took Neo's free hand in her own. "No one deserves to be left alone."

Neopolitan felt a stupid sense of warmth in her heart even as her hand hurt from the contact. This girl was too stubborn for her own good. Removing it from her grasp Neo typed another response on her scroll. _**Everyone expects me to go back to Cinder, to still be working for her. No one will trust me. No one will forgive me.**_

"I'll trust you." Ruby argued, she stood fast, refusing to budge. "And I don't care what you did as long as you help us instead of her."

Why did she have to say all the right things here? _**That won't change anything, you're only one person. You honestly don't expect to win over everyone do you?**_

"I-I don't know." Ruby wavered at first before following her earlier conviction. "But I'm the youngest team leader at Beacon, and heroes don't stop when things get hard. They continue believing when all hope seems lost!" She stated working up to extravagant arm gestures through her monologue. Ruby wasn't sure who she was trying to convince.

Of all the people her dad could have asked to help...still, maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Averting her eyes Neo relented and offered a simple message of _**Fine**_ , and was instantly attacked by a bone crushing hug as a result.

Anxiety and fear instantly wrapped themselves around Neo's being. She couldn't move, she wasn't in control, it hurt so much. Her throat constricted and let out a squeak of discomfort.

" .yes! Oh now that we're on the same team you have to let me in on your weapon! It's so elegant and simple but it's defensive properties are amazing! Does she have a name?" Ruby exclaimed nearly jumping up and down with enthusiasm, apparently blind to her partners discomfort. However her apparent mute companion noticed a few flinches after she recovered from the invasion of her personal space.

 _ **Please don't do that again.**_ It was a petty and embarrassing insecurity but it was well founded. Being touched meant a loss of control, and being restrained like that was even worse. Hopefully she wouldn't have to divulge too much, Red might seem to have her heart in the right place but...

"Oh I-I'm sorry, did I squeeze too much? Weiss and Blake always complained that I squeeze too hard when I'm excited." Ruby apologized a bit awkwardly.

 _ **No I just... don't like being touched. It's uncomfortable.**_ Neo partially clarified, she had never had to explain herself before. Her Dad had always made sure everyone kept their distance from her. Unwilling to let this strange feeling of awkwardness continue Neopolitan gestured towards the other girls cuts with a questioning expression.

"I'm fine. It just stings a little" Ruby defended scratching her head in an awkward attempt to cover up her injuries. She had to be strong, and not show how sad it made her to have to contain her excitement in the future.

Neo narrowed her eyes into a light glare and upon still not receiving a response typed a new message. _**If we're on the same team then don't lie to me.**_

Ruby clutched her arm a bit sheepishly. "S-sorry, I...I don't want to be a burden, and I can still fight and-" She started, her voice beginning to grow faster without keeping eye contact.

Neo observed the other's girl face slowly burn redder in embarrassment and decided to relent. She waved her hand in front of Red's face to get her attention and break her monologue. In the silence that followed Neopolitan gave a reassuring smile as she swung her parasol over her shoulder. She wasn't defenseless, and she was probably in better shape than her rescuer.

"You're right." The red cloaked girl answered, she wasn't alone. She had one person to depend on for now. And she knew first hand just how strong Neopolitan was in a fight. Turning around to face the journey back, Ruby felt...better.

Neo pulled Ruby back as she made to leave and typed one more message. _**If they try to put me away I'm using you as a hostage.**_

"Ehehe Good one...That was a joke right?, Right!?" Ruby laughed nervously in her place before her companion started to walk towards the door.


	3. Prologue 2: Weiss Schnee

Weiss remained sitting silently in the uncomfortable standard issue chair. A protective canopy of Atlas military standard enclosed her position. The ocean swell continued it's rhythmic pounding of the shore. It wasn't a place she wanted to belong to anymore, not since she had actually...made friends. But with the academy in ruins and the apparent danger, she had no choice but to return home, as her father wanted. And so she waited with her sister in the hastily assembled Atlas command point, safe from harm, excluded from the world.

The usual comfort of clean white was somehow cold. The autumn breeze, tinged with salt, blew through the tent to accentuate the effect. Other atlas personal kept their distance from the duo, for some reason it seemed as if they were the only ones truly here. The only ones who made it out. He was going to come to her personally, he didn't trust anyone else in the matter it seemed. A small part of Weiss felt a bit happy that he seemed to care this much. That he was spending his time to come to her personally. But her anxiety and fears over weighed that happiness. Her team was splintered.

Weiss had thought she would be fine when this happened, she knew if Winter didn't return then eventually...She would have come back. Her fairy tale would end and she would go back to the real world, back to the company. Weiss had hoped to be able to...when she let him cut her off from the Schnee fortune... but what was it for now?

"Hey" Winter spoke, her words soft and careful as they carried across the room.

Looking up and focusing out of her downward spiral Weiss acknowledged her sister. "Hey." Although her voice sounded weak.

"I'm...sorry. I know you made friends here." Winter continued, her pauses long and borderline awkward. She seemed to not know what to do with her hands, at least in this situation. "We both know how father can be but...Is this, what you want?" Winter asked, apprehensive, as if the suggestion itself could summon him to their conversation.

 _Of course this isn't what I want! I want to stay here, I want to continue studying, I want to continue being part of RWBY, I want to grow up and be a huntress, be Weiss, not...not just Schnee._ Weiss tried to not let her true feelings show. It wasn't up to her. She knew she couldn't escape her destiny, a part her burned to keep trying. To prove she was worthy, prove she didn't need her name to stand. To prove she could actually change something.

With what had transpired over the past day it all seemed so pointless. Yang was out of commission, she barely acknowledged her. Blake had run off to who knows where. And Ruby hadn't awoken from her sleep when Winter had ushered her away with news from home. The academy was in ruins with a dragon constantly attracting more grim, there was nothing left here. _Maybe if I keep telling myself I'll believe it._

Weiss returned her gaze towards her older sister. She still seemed worried. "Thanks but... I'll be fine." Her voice sounded distant again, just as it had before she arrived at beacon in the first place. However she could feel a smile on her lips. She was truly grateful that her sister cared enough to question, to even suggest the possibility of defying him. But this wasn't her battle. Winter had left their home for a reason, to an even greater battlefield.

Weiss admired her sister. Truly, she had escaped her fate, and made a name for Winter without the need for Schnee. Weiss wished she could be so lucky, she had tried. Tried to become something she wasn't, tried to actually help people, erase some of the sins of her father but... she hadn't done enough. This day had come too soon, she wasn't ready for her school days to end.

Weiss Schnee remained sitting in that standard issue chair as the world continued outside, but it seemed hard to believe.


	4. An Afternoon Walk

_**What do you mean you don't remember the way back?!**_ Neo couldn't believe her "savior". They had been walking for several hours and Red didn't even know where she was going the entire time?! It was a miracle they hadn't been ambushed by a pack of beowolves or ursas at this point.

"Well I left when it was dark and then I kinda followed a crow until I smelled your ice cream and then it's just a blur." Ruby responded sheepishly as her partner paced the remnants of an intersection. With the grim keeping their distance from her it wasn't exactly hard travel but... The dragon continued attracting more by the hour so it was only a matter of time before something bigger came.

Nervously Ruby glanced back at the street signs again. She had hoped to be able to navigate their way to safety without divulging their predicament but... With the rubble and collapsed buildings it wasn't as easy as she thought. And of course she would lead them in a circle after 3rd street was cut off.

It was moments like these that Ruby truly hated,the dull ones where she could look over her actions and cringe at those mistakes. Oh and then of course she would forget how to act properly and everything would be reduced to awkwardness afterwards.

Maybe she should make a light-hearted joke? Or some lost related pun like Yang would? Ruby examined her partner closely trying to determine the best way to lighten the atmosphere. Neo was turned mostly in the opposite direction now, probably typing a new message or finding something useful on her scroll.

Her white heeled boots had multiple scuff marks on them, probably from her flight down among the grim as her walk through the rubble was as graceful as her fighting style. Those dark brown pants had fared a bit better as only a single ice cream stain marred it's perfection just above her left pocket. Right above peeked a bit of Neo's fair skin in between the double belts that held her pants. And a darker undershirt? tank top? Well some article clothing that Ruby wasn't entirely familiar with.

Either way Ruby moved on to look over her strange overcoat, which seemed to have the most damage. Ash and cuts made their way through most of the garment, obviously the first line of defense against the outside world it seemed. But her exterior wasn't the only thing of interest.

She had worked with Cinder... under Roman. She was probably raised to be a criminal. Ruby hadn't truly begun considering what that meant until now. Was it just her and Roman? Did she have other family or teammates like her team? Did she have a childhood?! Ruby had taken her own childhood for granted, just a normal thing that everyone had experienced at some point. But did Neo ever experience any of that? Ruby continued into a spiral of debate regarding questions she needed to ask her new partner.

Neopolitan angrily smashed the touch screen of her scroll as she tried to find some map or limited range function. However without signal it was almost useless save for a few time wasting games and the notepad. With a near silent sigh she slipped it back into her pocket, the battery was almost dead anyways. They would simply have to find their way to a high vantage point to get back.

Turning around Neo found her companion giving her a curious look. Cocking her head to the side she waited for her companion to respond. The fall breeze made itself known through the city with a moderate chill, probably from the building clouds to the west. The sun cast short shadows from overhead, designating it midday at most.

"O-oh! Sorry I was just uh thinking. Soo, nothing on your scroll?" Ruby asked after catching Neo's gaze. Wasn't she supposed to break the silence? Well the talking silence, not like Neo would break the actual silence with her being so...silent... Probably best to just stick with the matters at hand.

Neopolitan shook her head with half a smile.

"Oh, well I'm sure we'll be fine. We just need to get to a high enough vantage point to scout out the area." The girl in red stated in an optimistic tone, it was strange how comforting it was to have someone by her side, even if that someone was, hopefully, a former criminal now. "What? I was team leader for a reason." Ruby continued after receiving an odd look from her new partner.

Taking the lead, Ruby led Neopolitan through the streets towards the tallest building she could scope out.

The road was cracked and the remnants of the atlesian robotic military force still lay scattered. The store fronts were mostly broken and shattered, opportune looters seemed to have taken anything of real value in the confusion. Even worse were the bodies of those too greedy, unlucky, or slow. The ones that didn't evaporate, that were faunus and human alike.

Ruby tried not to look at them. She tried to focus on the partially cloudy sky with those fluffy nimbus that hid shapes and creatures. She tried to focus on the upper levels of the buildings they passed or the street signs that marked their way. But she couldn't help from bringing her gaze lower, and ended up focusing on her partner instead.

She seemed unaffected by the death around her, her gait the same as ever. How? How could she continue on like it was another day in Vale? Ruby remembered what Roman had said, they would survive no matter the cost.

At the time it seemed reasonable, out of love even. But... did they truly believe they were worth all of this? Or were they just afraid of ending up like those on the street? Either way Roman and Neo had helped cause this, all of this.

Ruby said she would forgive her but...No she couldn't go back on that, hero's never lied about something like that. Still, how could she be expected to? The bodies weren't limited to warriors on the battlefield, they included civilians, children even. How could someone who knowingly caused all of this be forgiven? Then again, did Neo know her actions would do all of this?

Neopolitan walked slightly ahead of her partner now. For the simple reason of hiding herself. Red had said she didn't care what Neo did but, she couldn't have seen this. Hell, she didn't know what had happened on the ground until now. Ever since she could remember Roman had cared about her, for her.

He always had her best interest at heart, or at least that's what it seemed. Even if it was cloudy to begin with, at the end of the job he cared. He had always said that survival was the most important thing, that he would steal the whole world if it meant keeping her safe. Granted that might have been a sweet lie when she was younger, but he always seemed honest with her.

This on the other hand was... horrible. Neopolitan knew people got hurt in crime. Her dad had taught her how to fight, stolen and payed for better teachers to make sure she wouldn't get hurt. To make sure she wouldn't end up like these people they walked past now. Survival was important, the most important thing and yet.

Neopolitan couldn't help but feel guilt and shame. Setting yourself above those that would fail was fine when you used your own skill, your own mind, even if it was stealing from others to lift yourself up it seemed reasonable. But... Putting yourself above others by standing atop their corpses. How could her dad have thought this was a choice? Or was this one of the times when she would have understood at the end?

They hadn't been lucky enough to live in a situation where following the law would bring about their own continued existence. In fact if they had then they could have been any one of these people on the streets. Or they would probably be homeless in some alley barely living day to day.

Crime was the only answer for Neo and her Dad and yet... Surely there were other choices he could have made for them? Surely this wasn't the only way to survive?

The cool wind picked up once more, blowing through the quiet city. The clouds to the west continued to build, promising another autumn storm. The roadway started to swelter from the afternoon sun, however it seemed that would not last long as a slow roll of thunder came over the area.

Ruby felt a small shiver run up her back but her companion seemed to pay her no mind. Picking up her pace to be next to her Ruby tried to start some semblance of a conversation. "So uh... what's your favorite color?"

Neo looked back with an arched eyebrow.

"I-I'm sorry I'm just, I'm bad at small talk but I want to know more about you...Also it's really boring just walking and walking without anything else to do." Ruby started nervously before ending in an defeated slouch.

Neo smiled apologetically as she reached into her pocket and showed the dead screen of her scroll. She doubted the other girl knew any sign language. Still as long as it was just small talk and nothing too prying, it would have been nice. Contrary to popular belief Neopolitan enjoyed conversing with people, just not speaking to them...or touching them...

"Oh...Oh!" Ruby started sadly before jumping back to her seemingly regular perky state of being. "You could borrow mine, it still has a bit of charge left." She produced her scroll and quickly removed the lock on the front before handing it out freely.

Neo examined it for a moment before taking it. Certainly there were personal messages, pictures, maybe even documents if Romans scroll was anything to go by. And yet she was handing it over to her with a smile on her face. Either Ruby hadn't thought that far ahead or she was a naive and ridiculously trusting girl. Staring into those silver pools didn't seem to make the answer any clearer.

They continued on like that for some time, Ruby asking an odd question and Neo answering or the latter asking some slightly more serious question and the former taking them in stride. It seemed almost routine as the sky darkened with cloud cover and the first drops started to fall. With the storm system came a cold front that clashed greatly with the previous heat of the day.

Neo felt the familiar tingle of the icey cold rain drops seeping through her clothing. With a flourish she produced her umbrella and opened it into a protective canopy from the rain. Glancing to her left Neo observed Ruby eyeing her shelter. It was small, and unless they were incredibly close together it wouldn't accommodate more than one person.

There was no reason why she should share this luxury, it was only rain. Neo had spent plenty of time of time without shelter in the rain, both when she was on a job and from the time that should have been childhood, yet she was still here. There was absolutely no reason why she should give in to those widening silver eyes and defeated posture. Not one.

Slowly Neo stepped closer on their path. If it became uncomfortable then there was no reason to continue. She was simply trying to...to see how much Red could be trusted. Neo started becoming more and more aware of her surroundings as she got closer to her new companion. It was strangely hot, her skin started to prickle at the threat of contact, nothing had changed.

"Thank you."

Ruby's voice broke through Neopolitan's discomfort like a high caliber dust shell. Looking over to the overly close but overly happy girl in red, Neo felt a heat rise in her cheeks. Averting her gaze back towards their destination Neo tried to ignore the loudness of her heartbeat that had everything to do with Red's proximity but nothing to do with her own discomfort.

* * *

Unfortunately once the duo had arrived at the building the rain outside had reached such a downpour that you could barely see thirty feet, let alone try to make out where the safe point was.

Once inside Ruby let out a breath of relief and quickly pried off her squelching boots with a stumble. While partially soaked from the splashing of the rain and the occasional gust of wind, Ruby seemed to be in high spirits as she took off through the building.

She had proclaimed a perimeter search was in order but Neo suspected alternative motives. However she hardly felt up to trying to follow her companion that seemed to be constantly full of energy since their departure from the small bar. It was simply to exhausting at this point. With a yawn, Neo started to regret forcing herself to stay up just in case Roman arrived, or walked by. She ignored the stab of pain that strain of thought brought.

The building seemed to have been a hotel before everyone left. Briefly Neo contemplated what treasures could have been left behind in the hurry to escape before the sound of Ruby came barreling back down the stairs.

"Ohh this is so exciting, we can have any room we want!" Ruby exclaimed after returning from her "perimeter search". A moment later she rushed over to the cashiers counter and started rifling through the keys to the rooms.

Neo watched with a look of curiosity.

"What?" Ruby froze in her rifling of keys. It wasn't wrong when...well it would be just like that scouting mission except the ruins aren't actually that ruined. Still Neo cocked her head to the side, she was definitely judging her for something.

"W-well it's not everyday I get to stay somewhere this nice and we can't exactly get back when we can't see where we're going and you look really tired. Not that you're not well... I mean I'm pretty tired too so..."

Neopolitan rolled her eyes and hopped the counter in a fluid tumble, grabbing the four keys for the penthouse suites. Hopefully at least one was undamaged enough to rest in. With a smirk and a jingle she started towards the stairway, but upon hearing no steps behind her, Neo turned around.

Ruby was standing there gawking at her with such an adorable look of amazement that Neo couldn't help but stifle a small giggle. Raising her eyebrow in question Neo waited for her companion to catch up.

Apparently coming back to reality Ruby dashed back to Neo with a blush of embarrassment. "S-sorry it's just...How do you do that?!"

Neo appeared taken aback by the question, but Ruby continued before she could grab her scroll to respond.

"I mean how are you so so-"

 _Silent? Weird? Cold?_ Neo worried while a part of her also hoped. _Nice? Good at reading people? Attractive?_

-perfect all the time?!"

Neopolitan had the modesty to blush at the statement. Grabbing her scroll she typed up a response, _**Thank you but I'm not sure what you mean.**_

"I-I mean...Well look at me, and look at you!" Ruby exclaimed squishing her wet socks into the tiled flooring and waving her boots with one hand. She looked very...disheveled, cute like a wet puppy.

After Ruby saw that Neo wasn't responding after looking her over she tried to drop the subject. "Oh forget it."

 _ **No wait, I want to know. Am I doing something that annoys you?**_

"No you're not, it's just well you're sooo elegant and calm and I'm...I'm just awkward and fast." Ruby relented in defeat.

 _ **Are you...Jealous?**_ Neo typed thoroughly perplexed at the girl in front of her. She wasn't exactly sure how she should feel. It was kind of flattering and gave Neo a small bit of pride but..on the other hand it made her feel disgusted. This girl had everything Neo didn't, she could afford the right side of the law, she had friends, a team. She could have everything Neo had worked so hard for without any effort and she was Jealous?

"Ugh geez Neo you don't have to actually say it." Ruby responded with a pout as she tried to hold onto her dignity.

Neopolitan briefly clenched a hand in anger before she realized how ridiculous this was. They were both in the same situation now, no matter their pasts. Still, it was comforting to know that Ruby couldn't read her as easily Cinder could. It gave her some breathing room on exactly how much she had to reveal and how much could stay hidden.

 _ **It's more work than you think. And it took years of training.**_ Neo hoped that was sufficient for now, in all honesty she couldn't wait to flop onto a mattress and wait out the rain storm. _Maybe the rooms will have silk pajamas, or even just a nice bathrobe._

Ruby's pout intensified.

 _ **I'm not sure what you want.**_

"Well I was thinking, you can blend in when you want to, so maybe you could ...show me how to?" Ruby nervously fiddled with her thumbs as if this whole ordeal was bigger than it was in reality.

 _ **I thought you wanted to be a hero, stand out, all that.**_

"I do! But, some heroes have alter egos! Or-or secret identities." This response merited a quirk of an eyebrow in amusement by the neopolitan girl. "Look I just...don't want to be the girl by the punch bowl at a party my whole life."

 _ **Ok ok but I doubt we'll be going to any parties if we're leaving to try and stop Cinder**_

"Stop Cinder.?.?." Ruby repeated in a faraway tone, Neo must have missed something for her to falter like this.

 _ **You want to be a hero right? Then shouldn't stopping her be top of the list? She's the one that orchestrated everything that happened here.**_

"I...Yeah." Ruby answered a bit quieter than usual. After a moment of the silence Neo took the initiative to resume their walk upstairs. "Neo...how much about all this did you know about?" It felt almost cliché that Ruby would ask this as a break of thunder rolled through the sky.

Neo had to take her time answering. If Red was half as normal as everyone else then she wouldn't believe the truth and she probably suspected the worst. If Neo didn't play this right then she might be out in the rain again, maybe she could find Emerald and Mercury if... No. In the short time together with Red she had already proven that she cared more than either of them ever did. Maybe that's just how the girl in black and red was but, it was nice. And that alone set her leagues apart from everyone else.

So Neo went with the worst option, telling the truth. **Not enough. I helped Roman gather dust, but Cinder never told us why. We used a large amount of fire dust to blow open the underground, it was mainly a diversion. I'm glad your team was there to stop the grim. We used the White Fang to orchestrate civil unrest and draw attention to Vale on top dust theft. The_**

After a minute of typing Neo looked back over her message. She didn't need to detail everything they had done. Especially not at once. Maybe when Red trusted her more, was more willing to forgive. Holding the backspace she ended holding up the scroll with a much simpler message. _**Not enough.**_

"But that not-" Ruby started a bit frustrated at the short answer but cut herself off when Neo immediately took back the scroll.

 _ **If you're wondering if I'm heartless enough to not care about what we did, No I do care. Just because I was with the "villains" doesn't mean I'm a monster.**_ A part of Neo hoped that her companion would reach out to her, console and comfort her. Accept her beyond that perfect mask.

But the dominating realistic part of her knew that Red wouldn't. Their alliance was shaky enough without lashing out, this simply ensured further cracks in the foundation that was already wrought of betrayal and misdeeds. It was better anyways, once they reached civilization she knew enough from Roman to live comfortably.

"Neo...I know you're not a monster. You don't have to tell me what you did, it's in the past." Ruby answered softly. She hoped this was comforting, it was hard to tell without hugs or hand holding. Continuing to wring her hands in order to hold back Ruby offered a small smile before expanding. "I just wanted to know if you knew what...what Cinder is planning."

 _Oh no._ Neo could feel it, her eyes were probably pale again. _Fear._ How could she misread the situation so much. Roman had lectured her on this, lashing out when the subject got too personal, he said she would end up alone if she didn't stop. But...she was never going to be alone with him in the picture.

Quickly her hands scrambled over the scroll to respond switching between rewriting her message and presenting what she had so far, as if part of an excuse was worth anything.

 _ **Iim sorry**_

 _ **I didnt**_

 _ **I was**_

Ruby gently stopped Neo's hands, hopefully this was ok. "Scared?" Her voice still slow and practiced.

Neo stared at those silver pools, deep and comforting. Slowly she nodded, her skin prickled, it was so uncomfortable. She wasn't hiding beneath a mask, anything that happened, happened to her. Not to whoever she was pretending to be. The judgment, the ridicule...the smile...the warm hands around her own.

Taking her hands back and scratching her head Ruby tried to defuse the situation. "Hehe well you don't act, we barely know each other right?" She lamely repeated what Neo had told her that very morning accompanied by a cheesy fake grin.

Neopolitan was wrong, her companion was much much more observant than she seemed. Neo was also glad for the clap of thunder overhead, for the simple reason it drowned out the pathetic laugh that escaped her lips.

She smiled afterwards, a genuine smile from her own lips and not pretend. It felt awkward. The thought of not acting at all was terrifying but...maybe if it was in small steps like this, just this one smile, then maybe... it wouldn't be impossible.

 _ **Let's see if any of these keys work**_ Neo changed the subject, she would explain everything later. Her involvement with the White Fang, what she knew about Cinder, whatever Ruby wanted to know. Because for the second time in her life, Neopolitan trusted someone.


	5. Trust is Not Love

Neo and Ruby sat some feet from each other, each with their own nest of blankets and pillows stolen from various rooms, and each staring into the small fire in the ultra-modern fireplace. It had taken a few broken chairs, ripped books, and some of the red dust contained within Ruby's rifle ammunition but it was finally alight. Warmth slowly crept through the room as the flickering oranges provided the only source of light. The rain had slowed to a small drizzle as the sun set behind the clouds and was now little more than a gentle reminder of the reason for the utter darkness outside.

Beside Neo sat a small collection of mini-bar beverages and snacks as well as a small ensemble of what she considered useful items. All pilfered from the many empty rooms that had been left open in all too much of a hurry, leaving behind certain valuables like the mobile charger now attached to her own scroll or the multi-tool that Ruby had used to pry apart a few of her rounds. The dark red haired girl in question had of course been opposed to taking things from other people but relented with the logic that it would only be to help them survive.

Not to mention the previous owners were most likely either dead or didn't care about some small possessions left behind in light of saving their own lives.

As Neopolitan stared into the fire she felt her eyes start to water. They weren't doing anything. They weren't in danger. There wasn't anything to occupy her mind or herself anymore. So she took another swig from the labeled bottle, it's contents prickling and burning down her throat. _Why did Roman like this so much?_

She remembered a similar time, years ago when the power had gone out in the storm. She was just a child back then, and they didn't actually have a job, a scam, or some other illicit activity to perform. They were just...together, and after some stumbling he had lit a candle and brought out their worn deck of cards.

"Neo?" The concerned voice of her companion broke through her gaze into the flames." Are you alright?"

She felt the wet streaks on her cheeks and quickly wiped them away with a corner of her blanket. The Ice-cream girl picked up her partners scroll and typed a quick message in response, the artificial illumination bringing a strange contrast in light to the room. _**Yeah, I'm fine don't worry.**_ She took another gulp of the burning liquid.

The two girls sat in silence for what seemed like a great deal amount of time. Both out of place in the overly large and luxurious suite. The storm outside continued it's now gentle drum across the sliding door to the balcony. The fire had finally brought the room up to an agreeable temperature, although both seemed too comfortable in their blankets to move much.

As Neo opened a new bottle and took a sip she noticed Ruby watching her intently. _**Do you want to try it?**_ Maybe it wasn't as bad as she had initially thought, the burning in her throat wasn't nearly as bad as the first time and it had settled to a nice warmth in her stomach. There was also a slowly growing sense of calm, drowsiness, and all together not caring.

"Oh nono I'm uh...too young for that stuff." Ruby stated a bit sheepishly.

 _ **It's not like we can get caught, it wouldn't hurt to just try it.**_ Neo usually wasn't pushy but a part of her didn't want to be alone, and for some reason that meant not being alone in this feeling either.

"Ehehe well I guess we can't..." She avoided eye contact with the neopolitan girl as she nervously laughed before finally, and agonizingly slowly, grabbed the bottle. The huntress in training paused a moment and glanced at her companion who seemed look at her with an expression of 'well go on then'. She brought it to her lips and tilted the bottle until the contents seemed to barely make content with the young girls mouth. Instantly she brought the bottle away and spluttered in disgust.

Neo silently giggled at her distress before taking the offensive liquid back. Staring at the opening in the top a strange thought fluttered through her head. _Red's lips were on here._ If she took another drink... Neo glanced back towards Ruby's face only to find her trying to wipe any trace of the offending liquid away from her mouth.

"How can you drink that stuff?" She finally spluttered out after apparently being satisfied with not tasting the alcohol anymore.

 _ **I don't know, Roman used to drink it.**_ Only after taking the scroll back did Neo truly think about what she had just said. She hadn't been thinking when typing it, just absentmindedly giving her reason while she stared at those red lips. The atmosphere suddenly cracked.

"Neo..." Her tone was concerned, and longing. Longing to help her through the pain that she had successfully forgotten. Well... maybe not forgotten but...put aside? Ignored? Buried under menial tasks? It didn't matter, all that did matter was the white knight threatening to get out of her nest and the tears threatening to spill from Neo's eyes.

She wasn't thinking clearly, her head was full of strange thoughts and emptiness while her body was warm and numb. Neo had never had anymore than a taste to try from Roman, she didn't have any experience with any of the later effects of alcohol. Why had she grabbed it in the first place? It was a stupid decision, a hollow attempt to be more grown up, to be stronger. More like him.

"Neo, please. You can talk to me." Ruby tried to comfort her, she was most of the way out of her nest, soon she would be encroaching on her personal space. But more importantly she had just told Neo to talk. It was just a phrase though, definitely just a phrase there was no way she knew. No way she could know about her.

Neo tried. She tried to be strong and hold back. She had always found others crying to be awkward, not disgusting per say but definitely not something she wanted to be around. So she wouldn't subject Ruby to that. She was strong, she had never needed anyone, so there was no need for that offer of comfort the dark haired girl gave. But another part of her argued that she had always needed someone, a very particular someone. A someone who would never return. Who would never be there again.

Neopolitan couldn't control it, a strangled sob escaped her throat. In an attempt to control the situation, to make sure Ruby wouldn't comfort her, wouldn't restrain her, Neo launched herself in a tackle maneuver into the other girl. The duelist pinned her partner to the floor and held her still. She kept her head buried in the slightly taller girls chest as her body betrayed her, muffled sobs escaping into the open.

The only constant in her life, the only one she could rely on. Somewhere Neo knew she could continue, she could live on without him, but...without him... there would be a massive emptiness.

A gentle hand caressed her back.

Neo squeezed tighter and screamed in anguish, her unbridled voice shrill and scratchy. He was the only one she could talk to. The only one that she trust to touch her. Because they knew each other, because he knew Her. Not her disguises, not her lies, but her closely guarded self. The one that had to survive, the one that had to hide from the criminal acts, the law, the one that called him dad.

Pushing herself up, Neo looked into those deep silver eyes. Her body was trembling, and tears continued to drip from her face as she watched the huntress in training. She actually seemed happy, genuinely happy to be a comfort to her, to help. But that wasn't enough. She needed to feel like she belonged somewhere.

Neopolitan opened her mouth but found her throat constricted. The words kept dying over and over before they reached her lips. It felt like much too long to stay frozen above her partner, her eyes were most definitely pale once more, but she finally managed. "Make me trust you." _Please fill this void, give me someone to trust just as much._

Her voice was raspy and low, barely above a whisper. It shook from sadness and from her own vulnerability. This was Neo speaking, in her own voice. The singular voice that she possessed, that if uttered to the wrong person would spell doom upon any of her disguises. The one thing she couldn't change. Her most important secret.

"What?" Her partner innocently asked Neo to repeat herself.

A flush of anger rushed through the ice cream girls system. Her companion couldn't know the gravity of what she had done, of what she had asked but it was impossible. She slammed her hand against the floor next to the innocent girls face, she had heard, she must have.

Ruby was at a loss as to what to do. Dozens of questions raced through her head at the revelation that her partner had a voice but she couldn't address them. How did you make someone trust you? She thought of her teammates, of Juane, but those were relationships built over months or years. So instead Ruby went with the first idea that came to mind.

The huntress in training pulled up a hand and put it between them, holding out her pinky. "I promise you can trust me Neo."

The ice cream girl gawked at her partners proposal before returning to her agitated state. In silence she pushed herself up and grabbed her affects. She wasn't sure what she had expected of the other girl.

Ruby lay on the ground for a moment, a bit stunned at the turn of events until she noticed that her newfound partner was walking towards the door. "W-wait Neo! I'm sorry I don't know what you want me to do." The silver eyed girl exclaimed as she rushed to follow her companion.

 _ **It's fine. I want to be alone. I'll be across the hall.**_ Neo held the scroll out in her palm stopping the young huntress in training short. After enough time had passed for Ruby to had read the message, stalked out of the room in silence.

After laying down in the cold dark of the opposite suite Neo took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The warmth in her stomach had subsided but the light headiness had not, hopefully that was the only reason for her actions. A shiver of regret went up Neo's spine as she thought on what she had done.

What had she hoped for exactly? Opening her eyes Neo saw the dulled light of Ruby's scroll shining through the blankets. Pulling it out to turn the offending screen off she must have accidentally pressed something, because the screen was no longer showing her message. Instead there was a picture of a younger Ruby with an arm around a less buxom blonde both sitting on a set of stairs below a man with similar blonde hair. The scene looked all too happy and innocent.

Neo wiped her exhausted eyes once more. It was a stupid impossible thing to hope for. But that didn't stop her from wanting it.

A Family.

~O~

Ruby continued to sit by the small fire, her brows furrowed in contemplation. She absentmindedly switched between stoking the flames and eating another small cookie from one of the many looted bags of goodness. What had Neo expected her to do? What could she have done? People were so confusing sometimes, well most of the time.

Did everyone have these problems? Surely not, everyone else seemed to get along with people great...well great as in it seemed they were sure of themselves, their actions. Yang was always confident in all her actions, no matter how much thought went into them. In fact it was almost as if she acted without thinking beforehand most of the time. And it suited her in a strange over the top lovable way.

But how would she have reacted to that?

Weiss also seemed confident with everything she did...even if she was a bit mean sometimes. But at least she didn't stumble over herself. Or maybe she was just too focused on the future, on being perfect to consider the possibility of the present.

Blake was so much of the opposite from Weiss and Yang, she worried, she second guessed herself, she put so much thought into her words that she was quiet. Ruby thought they were alike at first but... Blake just seemed so much more...mature. Her actions had reasons, and she had a past compare them with, to make sure she was doing the right thing.

Ruby let out a winded sigh as she prodded the burning piece of chair again. Idly she wondered what her teammates were doing. Weiss was probably home now in some building befitting the Schnee name in Atlas. Maybe it was snowing there? The history books Ruby had read at Beacon had mentioned Atlas being cold most of the year. A yawn escaped Ruby's lips as the warmth of the fire and her next of blankets and pillows comforted her aching body.

Once morning came maybe she would make Neo breakfast in bed, that usually makes people better.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Weiss Schnee tossed herself onto her old bed, landing with a soft thud on the blue and snow design. Staring up at the canopy of her bed Weiss contemplated what she had expected.

Her room hadn't changed, yet it was spotless from the dresser to the bed. The solid matte blues remained upon her walls, surrounding her room, her island. The dresser remained filled with the clothes she left behind, her suitcase sat beside it waiting to be unpacked. A few feet to the right her vanity table was still situated next to her bookcase filled with practical knowledge. The vanity itself was bare of any semblance of...friends, just the bare necessities for looking her best.

Along the wall hung multiple pictures and awards, all detailing some event she had succeeded at, some contest she had come in first. But as Weiss knew, only a few actually showed a smile. Back when she didn't understand her position. _I was such an idiot._

The plane ride had been...silent. Father had arrived, and with a few exchanged glances she had said goodbye to Winter and boarded the craft. There were a few questions. How did she do in her classes, could she handle summoning yet, had she kept up in her vocal practice?

Not how were her classes. Not if she had any friends. Not what she had accomplished already.

Weiss knew better than to bring those subjects up to him. _Never waste time with frivolities. Never speak out of turn. Keep up appearances, you're a Schnee._

Weiss rolled over in bed with a sigh. She was back in her gilded cage, her heiress pedestal, her corporate tower. Aside and protected from the world. To be seen only if it was called for, to be heard only when it was profitable.

It was sickening really. She was only home for a few moments, in her actually decent bed, and she missed them. Weiss Schnee missed those terrible uncomfortable bunk beds and the idiots she shared them with. Compared to the cold luxury of her room, the dormitory at Beacon suddenly seemed so inviting...at least in memory.

The entire place was probably controlled by grim by now.

Weiss checked her scroll again. Of course she wouldn't have any messages from them since the destruction of the tower but... It wasn't like that was the only reason she was checking it. Her access to the Schnee fortune was apparently restored, albeit with a very strict limit. It simply meant that she was home, where she would remain.

It didn't really matter, not as much as them. Weiss stared at her contacts screen for a moment. Five. Only five contacts filled her scroll. With four of them still in Vale, and her father being the fifth, she suddenly remembered how hard it was growing up here.

Leaving her scroll on her bed, Weiss got up and went to her vanity. She needed to remember how to forget. Sitting down she began taking out her brushes, her pencils, her powders. It was always easier to pretend when it wasn't exactly herself in the mirror. She just let down her defenses too much, let herself believe in her own lies.

However as the foundation smoothed her skin, and the blush gave her false warmth, Weiss began to feel a bit guilty. The more she tried to disappear, to return to how it was, the more she guilt she felt. It wasn't her fault team RWBY was disbanding, they would want her to move on, not to dwell on them.

Weiss's hand faltered at that lie. She knew Ruby would cling to her, give her those adorable puppy eyes until she stayed, until she gave in. Blake would argue, so smooth and coolheaded, and always so right and logical it would fluster her beyond talking. Yang would annoy her until she relented and then annoy her some more.

Truly she was glad to be rid...she was definitely...

A tear slid down Weiss's porcelain exterior. Blinking she refused to let her facade break. The help would unpack her things, sort them out, she needed to breathe. Grabbing her scroll from the bed Weiss left her room and walked down the hallways towards the elevator.

She was seventeen now, almost eighteen, no longer a child. She could leave when she wanted, go where she wanted, the building was nothing more than an illusion of a prison. Weiss tried to tell herself but... she knew she couldn't leave for long, and she couldn't leave without proper reason. Because it wasn't the walls that held her here.

Today she needed a new maintenance kit for Myrtenaster. A simple enough reason, one that would definitely allow her exit.

Weiss could feel the judgmental gaze of the butlers, the knowing stare of the host, and the attentive walk of the head, it prickled and threatened to send her back upstairs. They expected more of her, just as her father did, just as she did herself.

" what seems to be the occasion?" The head of staff always seemed to find her.

"I forgot my maintenance kit at beacon. I'm going out to purchase another." Weiss lied, her facade had weakened in her absence from this place. Her mask felt like glass, fragile and see-through.

"We have plenty staff to be able to-"

"Myrtenaster is My responsibility." Her voice bit with the venom of a Schnee. Her mask had cracked, and her outburst no doubt shameful and childish but he bowed in subservience.

"Of course, do you wish anyone to accompany you on your trip ."

"Uhm." She hesitated. _Weak. "_ Is Pearl still here?" She asked slowly. One of the only maids she had talked to before... well when she was still an idiot.

"I'm sorry but since you and your elder sisters departure from the family has let a majority of the older staff go."

"Oh I-I see." Weiss hadn't expected that. Then again she didn't think about what effects her departure would have. And it's not like she could have foreseen his actions, he's always been unpredictable.

"In fact at the current moment with your return I would say we are now understaffed." He still talked calmly but his tone was different, a hint of pleading marking it.

"I'll, ask him when I get back." Weiss replied, she knew he was probably working them harder than was necessary. She hated seeing them suffer because of her, because of Schnee. But what could she do against him?

A sickening wave of nostalgia washed over the corporate princess. This was one of the reasons why she left in the first place. The mistreatment, the underhanded business, all the sorrow her father caused to so many. All linking back to her name, like a brand for her fathers' sins.

Weiss had tried so hard to begin erasing them, making up for them, but she hadn't even begun. And now she was back, seemingly helpless but to let the cycle continue. Suddenly an unbidden image of her teammates interrupted her thoughts.

"Actually, open up some interviews." Weiss stated, earning a slight look of surprise from the head of staff.

"But-"

"I'll deal with my fathers opinion afterwards." She had been training to be a huntress. She couldn't suppress the fear of confronting him but... Her teammates would be ashamed of her if she continued running away, if she didn't fight.

It was easy to return to her routine, but that wasn't her anymore. At least that wasn't who she wanted to be anymore. She had friends now, a team, she had slain grim, what was the cold stare of her father compared to that?

A shiver of dread went up her spine as she left the building, past the polished glass doors and into the streets. But she would deal with that later.

* * *

 **AN: Not much to say besides I can't wait for season 4! also RE:zero is amazing. So y'know if you have anything to say please don't be shy, reviews are welcome! And have a nice rest of your day!**


	6. The Outside World pt1

**~~The Cave~~**

Neo started to return to consciousness in a strange state of confusion. It was hard to breath and abnormally hot, the air itself was stale, as if she had been breathing it in and out without any ventilation. Opening her eyes she found nothing but blackness. She tried to move. It had to be a nightmare.

Instantly adrenaline spiked through Neopolitans' system as she found herself bound tightly. Her heart rate sky rocketed and breathing broke from her control. She struggled harder, pulling and flailing. Claustrophobia began to close in and suddenly Neo couldn't tell if her light headiness was from anxiety or lack of oxygen. The bindings felt as if they were getting tighter, her breathing made her enclosure feel smaller than it already was, she would be crushed soon she was sure of it.

There were few things that Neo would admit to not being able to handle. Being at a complete loss of control was at the top of her list of guarded weaknesses. So naturally this situation wasn't allowing any rational thought as her emotions ran rampant. With a sudden surge of desperation Neo glassed the surrounding area outwards from her being. She didn't know the area and couldn't see what was beyond the thick insulation binding her so her panicked mind mimicked the only thing she could find, blackness.

From an onlookers point of view it might seem as if a sea urchin had suddenly came into being as multiple sharp and uneven, but fragile blades of Neo's semblance torn through her cocoon. As soon as the binding were cut Neo pushed herself up, dissolving her semblance back to nothingness and stared forwards.

For a moment the ice cream girl simply sat in the silken remnants of her cage taking deep breaths of clearer air. Unfortunately the outside was just as dark as the inside of the cocoon. _Where am I? Where's Red?!_ Scrambling through her pockets Neo retrieved her partners scroll and turned the flashlight on.

Her heart skipped a beat as the cavern was illuminated. Thick webbing arched through the air and along the walls where multiple other cocoons hung. Large stalagmites and stalactites grew out of the white webbing from the ground and ceiling, some even forming columns. A small stream of water washed nearby and further into the blackness. While beside her several other cocoons lay strewn haphazardly around a massive hole. It was impossible to see how deep it led, which just added to it's unnerving quality.

But these things were not what caused Neo's reaction. The real terror of the cave lay in the massive arachnid grim crawling along the walls in such an ordered fashion. Each one having a thick solid head, vacant of any red eyes. The ice cream girl sat as still as she could in hopes that her struggle had gone unnoticed, thankfully none of the beasts showed any inclination towards her.

As silently as she could Neo crept out of her bed and towards one of the adjacent cocoons. She paused for a second as she knelt next to the one on her right. _Why am I doing this?_ There was no real gain for her, just risk. Risking her own life instead of getting out of here on her own. Then again maybe she wanted to prove Red right, prove that she could be good too.

Carefully Neopolitan took out the previously looted multi-tool and flipped open the knife before trying to cut through the closed cocoon. After several minutes of work, she concluded that it would be impossibly slow to open such strong sticky tombs with only a small knife. It was however enough to make a small hole, one big enough to examine what was inside.

Unfortunately this first cocoon seemed to contain someone in Atlas standard issue apparel, their chest no longer moved. Additionally their face seemed sunken, and gaunt. There was no saving who ever this had been. At least it wasn't her partner. Red may have considered that heartless but... not everyone mattered, at least to Neo. Survival was the most important thing. _Then why am I doing this?_ She still couldn't find the answer but soon enough crawled across towards her next target.

Moving on to the next cocoon Neo slowly cut another small hole to examine the contents only to find what seemed to be a mummy. Nearly falling back in disgust Neopolitan looked around the room for other possibilities. Unfortunately there were at least another ten within range of the small light, and most hung too high to reach or were being poked and prodded by the grim.

 _Dammit Red you told me you were going to save me, not the other way around._ Pointing the scroll's light around the cavern Neo suddenly noticed movement from something other than one of the grim, another cocoon that seemed to be squirming. It hung from the ceiling not too far and away from those despicable creatures, not wasting another moment Neo quickly and gracefully dodged below and between the sticky strands until she was nearer the wall.

Damp cold radiated from the surface of the cavern as Neo attempted to figure out the best way to free the wriggling prisoner. Carefully she steadied the bindings as best she could before cutting into it. Abruptly a clawed paw broke from the hole and swatted at it's surroundings. Neopolitan stumbled backwards, taking a small hit to her Aura. Of course Red wouldn't be in there. There were dozens of possibilities in here and most were too close to those creatures to examine safely. A sense of anxiety started to creep upon Neo's still recovering heart.

The cougar continued to scratch and claw at it's trappings. The commotion traveled along the silken ropes and brought the attention of the grim. The chitinous sounds of multiple legs started to draw closer as Neo scrambled to get as far away from the beast as she could. Her view was limited by the small pitiable flashlight that was held within the scroll, but thankfully her reactions were up to par as loose shale upon low hanging silk constantly littered her path.

However what stopped Neo in her tracks was nearly falling into the pristine pool that seemed to be nearly at the center of the Cavern if the echoes of the grim were anything to go by. It was almost completely invisible at first, reflecting more of the muted grey ground as camouflage. As she wavered on the precipice the light of Ruby's scroll pierced through the waters and reflected off of something that didn't naturally belong there.

Peering through the clear water Neo's heart dropped. Resting at the bottom was a small cocoon, stray air bubbles still clung to it's surface, signaling that it's submersion had to have been at least semi-recent. Setting the scrolls on the side of the pool Neo quickly took a few deep breaths in and out as she contemplated the stupidity she was about to exhibit. There was no guarantee that the cocoon held her newfound friend, no positivity that Ruby was in this one as compared to any of the others.

But beyond that logic Neo held a fear that forced her to act. A fear of being utterly alone again, especially in such a nest of death. If she didn't even try then what was it worth getting out? She would be alone who knows where with no hope, no person to vouch for her, no way to be redeemed. If she escaped then she would have to go back to Cinder, to their place in society, without him. What then? Cause more people to suffer, to die?

That wasn't the life Neo ever wanted to live.

In fact...If her partner wasn't in this cocoon, she might as well search every other one. Even if she had to fight those monsters, even if it cost her everything. Because if she left, if she could somehow create a life from nothing... This moment would never disappear. She would have abandoned one of the two people who had ever believed in her. One of the only people she had ever actually cared about. Without even trying.

So Neopolitan dove straight into the clear waters, unsuspecting of it's frigid temperature. Immediately daggers of cold fought to penetrate Neo's aura, burning it down by the moment and nearly taking her breath away. Fighting the shock she continued to dive down till her fingertips brushed the sand. Opening her eyes, Neo could vaguely make out a blurry white shape directly in front of her.

She peddled forwards and downwards, ignoring the beginnings of a burning in her lungs. Grabbing onto the cocoon Neo pushed into the sandy bedding of the pool, accelerating herself towards the surface. As she did her chest grew tighter and her lungs burned for a single breath. She could make out lights on walls of the pool now. Their white brilliance either telltale for cold white Dust crystals or the stars of oxygen deprivation.

Finally she breached the ice cold waters with a gasp of fresh air. Awkwardly paddling towards the shore Neo struggled to maintain herself above the depths, her clothing clung to her skin while her shoes were awkward in their ability to tread water. Thankfully it wasn't too much further. However their was a dilemma, she lacked the ability to push such an awkward object out of the lips of this deep hole. So instead Neo used her semblance to glass herself and the object she held just out of the water. It drained a little more her reserve.

She quickly began to regret not eating something more substantial over the past few days.

Neo and her passenger fell to the ground with a wet thump while her material illusion quickly sank beneath the surface. Ignoring the chill setting into her bone from the soaked clothing Neopolitan quickly pulled out the multi-tool once more and began sawing through the webbing. Her heart skipped a beat as deep red hair poked out of the hole she had made. Now even more frantic than before Neopolitan tore into the cocoon until the majority upper half of the cocoon was dismantled.

Her skin was deathly pale and her lips had an unnatural blue color. Putting a hand to Ruby's neck revealed a horrifying lack of a pulse and deathly chill. Pushing forwards she immediately started trying to resuscitate her fallen partner. She didn't know much about proper medical practice, the only guidelines being from the one time she observed a life guard at a pool across from the ice cream shop her and Roman had stopped at. As well as the few scenes of some drama show that seemed to play in every waiting room.

So she began by straddling the slightly taller girl and bringing her hands together over Ruby's heart. _One, two, three, four._ Neo mentally counted as she continued, both grateful and disappointed that no one was there to see her try. Because it would probably be embarrassing to be observed, but then there was the chance that the other person might know what to do. Pinching her partners nose, Neo brought her lips down to meet the others before blowing a full breath into those still lungs.

The cold feeling of Ruby's lips was unnerving while the entire act was much more intimate than Neo thought it would be. It was only to help she reasoned with logic but on the other hand the whole reason she was doing this was because she actually cared about the huntress in training. This wasn't just being a good Samaritan, or doing a job as a life guard, this was Neopolitan trying to save Ruby's life. This was a pure act from her heart and behind the mask, and the thought that she might fail was crushing.

Another set of compression.

Another couple breaths.

Neo tried harder this time, she began to become nervous of hurting her companion but at the same time it would be better to hurt and save her than not save her at all.

Bringing their lips together once more Neo tried to exhale but suddenly caught a mouthful of water and bile. Tilting her partners head to the side Neo managed to release the vile liquids onto the ground safely. Turning back Neo found that Ruby was just managing to get over coughing out the caves water. For some reason she felt the urge to wrap her arms around her and pull her tight in relief. Instead Neopolitan settled for a look of concern.

After regaining a more normal breathing pattern and taking in their surroundings, Ruby found herself unable to stop shaking from the cold waters. "Y-you s-s-saved me..." She managed to force a smile while her teeth chattered and her arms clutched at her sides for warmth. A smile which held such a statement of gratitude, happiness, and pride that it caused the ice cream girl to blush. "Th-thank you".

Neo caught herself staring at the grateful look upon the other girls face and quickly shrugged it off as if it hadn't been a big deal finding her. As if she hadn't already searched several other cocoons on the slim chance that she would be alive. As if she wasn't already attached to her presence.

 _ **There's a stream, I think it's from the rain. If we follow it we can get out. There's strange grim, they're blind but we still need to be careful, there's a lot of them.**_

After typing a message on her partners scroll she handed it back to it's proper owner before carefully working on destroying the remaining silken strands. She had to remain focused on the issues at hand, keep her focused as well, lest her mind may wander towards those weird thoughts from last night. Those thoughts that were most definitely from the alcohol and not from anything else. Because Neo was sure it would show and if Red saw then she may question it. And Neopolitan wasn't even sure what sort of answer she had at the moment.

"D-do you ha-have your weapon?" Ruby struggled in as calm a voice as she could muster given the situation as well as her temperature.

In response Neo shook her head before tilting it forwards as if to ask the same.

After a longer pause than one should give Ruby responded. "No...the l-last thing I re-remember is falling asleep in f-front of the fire." She looked forlorn, incomplete without that red scythe. She amounted to what seemed to be a sigh through her chattering teeth while Neo finished carefully removing her cocoon.

The ice cream girl concealed a groan of exhaustion. The delicate use of her semblance was fatiguing her at an alarming rate, especially with how long ago she had awoken. Delicate fabrication like this was incredibly draining and time consuming, even more so when she had to conceal that burden. This was not the time or place to be weak, hope might be the strongest thing to show at the current moment.

Ruby watched her partner break her bonds through a haze, trying to decipher exactly how. At a point she tried to suppress her bodies constant shivering, as it no doubt made Neo's task more difficult, but gave up and figured a constant shiver might be better than inconsistent bursts. She held her scroll close as she wrapped both arms around her midsection to help try to warm herself. The poor light source now muted through her soaked clothing, giving the duo even less light to see.

A stray echoing chitter broke through the thick silence reminding Ruby of just how naked and helpless she felt without Crescent Rose. Whatever she had done on the tower was...well it wasn't something she knew how to control. And without that Ruby hardly had anything beyond her semblance, which at the current moment seemed too difficult to use while in such a frigid state. Not for the first time Ruby wished she was a bit more like her older sister.

While Neo continued her work cutting the silken strands Ruby stiffly observed their surroundings. Without the bright light of the scroll it was difficult to see but slowly her eyes adjusted. They sat at the edge of a pristine pool, with a quiet stream feeding into it from beyond what she could see. As she watched the ripples of the stream sparkle a realization made it's way through her frozen head. All around and above were small specks of light. They ranged from muted or dirtied to pristine and clear, just a speck to larger peaks, but each a definite tone of white.

Ruby laughed to herself, that would explain the cold. Raw Ice Dust, Weiss would be at home. Thankfully her thoughts of her team were cut shot as the last of the grim silk fell away from her legs. However in her chilled state Ruby was unsure of their next move. She couldn't recall ever seeing a cave such as this during any of her training missions within the forests around Beacon. Well... besides the underground city and train system... which she had no clue about beforehand, which in turn just meant they could be anywhere.

As much as her body wanted to just curl up and lay there, Ruby slowly forced herself to her feet. "W-well no time like th-the present." She strained a smile at her companion while her body still shook. As she finally took a step, Ruby realized that her legs felt like jelly and her body numb. Thankfully as quickly as she fell forwards, her partner was faster.

Neo easily caught her friend and steadied her. The coldness of her body and the wetness of her clothes were chilling and a bit uncomfortable but they did give Red that wet puppy look. Which in turn made Neo's heart ache too much to care about the arm now draped over her shoulder. Looking over, Neo gave a difficult smile to show her support, barely visible from the dimness of her partners scroll.

"Th-thank you." Ruby clutched tighter to her warm companion before stiffly moving her other arm away from her side in order to light their way. Thankfully Neo gently took the scroll away, letting Ruby retain her attempt to warm herself. As the light of the scroll illuminated their way ahead, the duo took the first step forwards. Hopefully towards the surface.

The ground was soft beneath their feet, like a barely above freezing mucky clay. Luckily however far inside the cave they were, it was far enough that the silken strands were more for transport than anything nefarious. They hung in the air, occasionally across the duo's path, but didn't seem to touch the ground.

Neo remained alert, not only to the distant occasional chitterings but to her partners trembling. The poor girl didn't seem to be warming up at all, it was beginning to concern her as they walked through the cave. Neo knew that people died from the cold, but she didn't know exactly what happened. How bad was she already? Would she make it out of this cave? Red was still uncoordinated, more so than usual, needing her constant support just to walk straight.

Glancing over Neo saw Ruby's wet outfit clung to her form, it probably wasn't helping her condition in the least. Neo bit her lip as she debated on what to do, she wanted to ask the girl if she felt better, or worse... But that would just slow them down. The best thing was probably to just keep moving forwards, as fast as they could.

Amongst her shivering Ruby glanced upwards to observe the natural beauty. As the silken ropes swayed above, perhaps from some monster right beyond her vision or just further along, they obstructed the light of the Dust. This gave the illusion of a twinkling sky with the hundreds if not thousands of small crystals blinking in and out of sight.

Ruby tried to suppress another shiver as she watched the incredible source of nature's fury. She hadn't particularly thought about it until now but the potential within the cave was incredible. Each of those dots could be a highly concentrate ice shell, or power one of Weiss's glyphs or Blake's shadows. Oh and it was pretty, but that was more of an afterthought.

While her partner stared at the natural beauty above and around, Neo slowed their pace for an entirely different reason. She had been suspicious of the ease at which they were traveling for what felt like the past hour. It was difficult to tell exactly how much time passed underground. But now she was positive, those smaller creatures earlier sensed their presence, they knew of their escape and yet acted ignorant. It was just a hopeful fantasy that they were able to sneak away from monsters that used some senses beyond sight to see. And the swinging silk only confirmed her fears, something was following them. However turning back only revealed the small stream disappearing beyond rocking outcroppings and low hanging strands of silk.

Suddenly Neo felt a familiar feeling in her gut. The indescribable urge to run because something was right behind, the feeling beyond that prickle on the back of your neck and pull behind your navel. Something was most assuredly watching, and it was watching from somewhere close.

With a pull Neopolitan tugged her companion along in haste. However before Ruby could protest, the soft clicks of their enemy touched down where they had been moments earlier.

As they ran, neither willing to look back, Neo mentally went over their options. Ruby was still too cold to fight properly, and even if they did they were both unarmed save for the small multi-tool Neo had pocketed. On top of that was the fact neither had an offensive semblance, as far as Neo knew. This just added up to a great big resounding no on fighting as an option.

On the other hand Ruby was in no condition to be able to outrun this thing. Her movements were stiff, uncoordinated, at least more than usual, and slow. Which meant either ditching her and securing her own life or pushing herself to use her own semblance beyond it's already tired state. And since hiding from Grimm was usually pointless, that left Neo with a single option, since abandoning Ruby wasn't an option.

Gritting her teeth Neo prepared herself, a two person glass wasn't too difficult but it still required a large amount of concentration to execute correctly, especially if they were moving.

Ruby's breath caught in her throat as she suddenly felt as if she was floating in water the same temperature as her skin. Then as quickly as the sensation started it was over and they were tumbling forwards once more. A bit disoriented, Ruby felt one of her feet catch on some uneven formation of the cave floor.

Ruby and Neo slid to a halt upon the ground behind a particularly large stalagmite, the huntresses weight carrying them further past. Clawing at the ground to help them come to a halt Neo felt the sharp pain of what amounted to crystalline dry ice. As a gut reaction she quickly pulled her hand back, ripping bits of flesh away as she did. In her attempt she forgot about the source of light, which flew several more feet before landing screen down on the cave floor.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the cave signaling the position of their pursuer.

"I'm sorry" Ruby apologized as she tried to push herself back to standing. Once again she was being too slow, too weak. How was she supposed to be the hero when she could barely stand? No, more than that, she was just dead weight right now, she was going to get herself and Neo killed. Ruby was fully aware she lacked hand to hand combat training, that she was of little use here, that Yang would have been more useful than her in this situation.

Looking up Ruby saw the slight look of fear in Neo's eyes. They both knew they wouldn't get out of this without fighting. But fighting seemed to useless, so hopeless even...

"I can't...run fast enough." Ruby got out in between her heavy breathes as her body struggled with hypothermia. Her partners gaze hardened in response. "Bu-but I'm not...going to give up." She quickly unclipped the magazine she kept on her side and shakily pulled out a bullet. With a toss, Ruby elaborated. "Your semblance, i-it leaves behind an after image right?"

Neo nodded, her eyes betraying confusion ass she caught the ammunition.

"O-one of my teammates ha-has a similar semblance. You sh-should be able to infuse it with Dust." She forced out as fast she could.

Neo's eyes widened, she had never directly used Dust before. She had seen Cinder of course, but the technique seemed invisible to her. Neo was sure her fear and ignorance showed on her face, she wasn't sure she could do this.

"It's our o-only shot." Ruby replied, she seemed so serious right now, yet at the same time she knew Yang would be proud.

Eyeing the bullet in hand, Neo quickly grabbed the multi-tool out of her pocket and began prying out the metal tip.

"I'm not sure h-how but the dust should interact with your aura, th-then it's as simple as telling it what to do...a-at least according to Weiss." Ruby summarized quickly as her partner readied herself. She might be unarmed, and physically useless at the moment, but she wasn't team leader just for her combat skills. It was her job to figure out the options, however limited, however difficult the situation may be.

Neo struggled to open the shell as blood slicked her grip. Clenching her wet hand enough to make her jaw grit in pain she finally managed. Dropping the tool back into her pocket she quickly poured the red Dust into her cleaner hand. As the chittering of their adversary drew closer, Neopolitan found her hand to be shaking slightly in anxiety. It didn't feel any different than holding sand, what was she supposed to do?! Besides that was the logic that dictated this small amount of Dust, which may be able to accelerate a bullet to lethality, wouldn't be enough to hurt a grim of this size on it's own.

Closing her eyes Neo focused on her Aura, how it encompassed her body and flowed from her center. She tried to focus on the Dust in hand but still felt nothing.

"Neo"

She opened her eyes, pale in fear.

"You can do this."

Neo tried again, her heartrate climbing under pressure. The processed Dust still felt inert to her, nothing was happening. In panic Neo remembered the raw Dust she had hurt her hand on a mere few feet away. Perhaps she didn't have enough practice unlocking the potential of Dust that was made safe to handle, but maybe she didn't need practice for Dust that already affected it's surroundings.

It was worth a shot, Neo quickly started to move closer but staggered to a halt as a large spiny leg stepped in front of them, in between her and hope.

As is stepped further into the light, the grim's form was made clear. It was different from the smaller workers, its' legs covered in small spines which twitched in the air. The front four legs seemed more heavily armored in white chitin than the black back four, and a large stinger drips from the end of it's abdomen.

Without much pause the fight commenced. The creature started with a quick horizontal swipe with one of it's forward legs.

In response Neo quickly ducked underneath.

Following up with the swipe, the grim stabbed forwards with a vertical jab from its' other front leg.

Without her weapon Neopolitan braced her forearm and deflected the attack enough to sidestep it. She felt a strange numbness in her aura at the moment several of the spines coating it's legs shattered upon contact. Neo knew she could have glassed herself to safety but she needed the fullest strength of her semblance for what she was planning.

Wearing down her opponent as usual probably wouldn't work here, to in order to properly enact her plan Neo went on the offensive. Following her sidestep she pirouetted forwards ending in a sharp kick to the creatures solid white head, which left her squarely within the creature's space.

The grim recoiled a few feet at the unexpected pain and quickly jabbed its' front two legs down, following with a powerful sweep from its' second left leg.

Neo easily back flipped away from the initial stab but the following sweep caught her squarely in the chest, sending her backwards into another large stalagmite. She made heavy contact, cracking the rock before slumping to the ground. Her Aura held, but it still nearly winded the ice-cream girl on top of numbing her aura further.

"Neo!" Ruby exclaimed in concern, this was the problem fighting grim. A single good hit and the tides of the fight could turn quickly, but the cracking stone gave her an idea.

As Neo pushed herself back up she heard her partner yell. "If you can keep it still near that stalagmite I have a plan!"

Neo gave a quick nod in acknowledgment as she faced the grim. Her mind raced to think of how to get past the creature. Below was too risky with that stinger and it had too many legs to go around, which left one stupid course of action.

After another shiver of it's spines the creature charged forwards.

Neo carefully positioned herself to leap, focusing a large amount of her strength on her aura the ice cream girl jumped towards the first prickly leg. Pushing off of it she managed to get an unsteady footing on the beasts head.

Before the grim could make a move Neo continued forwards onto the beasts back. Her aura suddenly started to be peppered as each step caused an eruption of black quills. Her goal closing in Neo lept off the grim and continued her spring towards the raw Dust crystal that had bloodied her hand.

Sliding to a halt Neopolitan knelt down and wrapped her fingers around the pure white shard. The cold quickly burned through her hand and stung at the bone as Neo pulled with all her might. There was a satisfying crack breaking through all of her bodies tension, causing Neo to fall backwards. In an un-eloquent scramble she turned and rushed the grim.

As Neo distracted the grim Ruby quietly made her way up the sitting shelf and opposite the stalagmite. With the slight gain in height, she should be able to push the weakened pillar to a tipping point. Now all she had to do was wait for Neo to hold it still.

Sensing its' prey rushing from behind the grim turned around and readied a flurry of attacks.

Voluntarily lowering her aura Neopolitan braced herself. Instead of dodging or deflecting as the creature expected, she caught the first leg in hand, suffering a barb through the flesh. Letting out a scream of pain, Neo gritted her teeth and held the beast with all her might. Then she pushed herself to do what she had never before, clenching the burning cold crystal Neo glassed.

Her usual comfort of switching position was twinged with an intense cold, but her hand felt empty. _It worked._ Neo thought in relief before the pull of gravity flipped her stomach. Through the buzzing in her head Neo tried her best to kicked herself away from the beast as the small beacon of light that was the ground quickly grew bigger.

The beast landed on the irregular construct of its own left behind image. Except the usual fragile shattering of glass did not occur. Instead the frozen image impaled the beast through it's fat abdomen. Unfortunately even after impalement it continued to struggle, unwilling to give up just yet.

Through her shaking that was now split between nerves and cold Ruby pushed at the rock, recognizing their chance. She groaned with effort until slowly the cracks from Neopolitan's impact spread until the large mass of rock started to tilt. The spines that were still left on the grim shivered, letting it know of the imminent danger. The creature tried to scramble away, but the ice was too slick to get enough purchase against. Slowly at first the mass of rock tipped through the air until it came down upon the beasts head, crushing it utterly. A loud crack echoed through the cavern signaling the death of the beast and the destruction of Neo's frozen construct.

Looking over the edge, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as the grim began to evaporate. After a moment she carefully hopped off of the ledge and trudged towards her companions collapsed form. "Neo?" Her voice wavered and chattered.

Neopolitan's breath came to her in difficulty, slowly she began to push herself up. Her skin was much paler than normal accentuating the red that trickle from her nose and marred her hands. It wasn't the first time she had pushed herself this far or gotten this hurt, but Neo had to admit it had been a while.

With cold hands Ruby gently helped up her fallen friend before crushing her into a hug. "Thank goodness!" Ruby squeezed "We did it, a-and I'm sorry. But I-I'm not letting go." She finished with a shiver.

Neo was shocked at first, she wasn't used to this sort of gratitude, this amount of comfort after working hard but... She relished it for the moment. Red's cold touch felt soothing and familiar. Burying herself in the moment she worked on breathing properly as her mind wandered. Either the alien coldness was enough to overcome her aversion to untrusted touch or Ruby had become very close to her heart already. As her partner refused to let go, Neopolitan hoped it was the second, but preferred not to think about it anymore. Thought was an unwelcome confusion in such an embrace of victory and relief.

Breaking the celebratory atmosphere was a familiar skittering above and behind.

Pulling back each exchanged a look before standing apart. Without words Neo walked over to retrieve her partners scroll but stopped as she saw her hands. With a shaky pull she removed the black spine from her numb left hand. Blood quickly poured freely from the wound, although whatever venom coated the spine gave a surreal sense of fakeness as she couldn't feel the wound. Experimentally Neo moved her fingers giving a weird alien sensation as she watched them move but failed to feel them as well. Thankfully they all moved properly, she just had to staunch the blood.

Contrasting with her left hand, Neo's right burned as the skin which made immediate contact with the raw Dust crystal had been frozen away.

Ruby carefully picked up her scroll as the ice cream girl tended to her wounds. "Neo..."

Neopolitan blinked, there wasn't enough time. There was never enough time. Tucking her pierced hand into her other armpit she nodded. Then, as best she could, Neo wrapped her bloodied right around the other girl before they returned to their escape.

Thankfully the adrenaline of the fight had made Ruby a bit less prone to falling in her cold state. This meant that the duo were able to run at a hobbled but not entirely slow pace. As they made their way along the stream Ruby kept her cracked scroll forwards to give them both light.

As the duo rushed along the stream, what they first perceived as another Dust crystal ahead began to grow brighter and larger as they grew closer. A rush of hope and excitement ran over both of them as they saw the end in sight.

The sounds of the grim continued to grow louder, spurning the two girls to run as best they could, ignoring the pain or cold in their bodies.

Now ignoring holding the scroll properly, as the light of their goal was enough to guide them Ruby clutched onto Neo a bit tighter. She still couldn't muster the energy to use her semblance but somehow the closeness of the ice cream girl made her feel better. With some difficulty they slid around more stalagmites and over other various outcroppings of rock that marred their path.

The light of the escape stopped growing bigger and revealed that their path went down a much smaller tunnel within the side of the cavern. As they grew closer a dull thunder grew to an explosive roar the closer towards salvation they ran.

Quickly rounding the corner of the lit tunnel the duo skidded to a halt, each with a similar aura of disappointment. The opening was situated several stories above the ground within a cliff face. Additionally the small stream seemed to be created from the spray of a large waterfall masking the cave from the outside world. As the vicious skitterings drew closer, the duo was slightly relieved to find that the webbing of the grim did not reach this far. They must have other ways, underground networks from which to hunt from.

Without her sniper rifle composite scythe, the drop felt a lot further than it was to the huntress in training. Ruby silently gulped as she peered over the edge. Thankfully the outside world, even the spray of the waterfall felt so much warmer.

Neopolitan observed the drop, but even though it instilled a sense of vertigo, it was much safer than staying here. Well...safer in that their was a slim chance of survival versus none. Biting her lip Neo tried to judge her aura, or if she at least had the strength to Glass one more time.

Apparently coming to a decision the ice cream girl turned to face Ruby. Her skin was paler than usual, blood and much marred her usually perfect appearance, but her expression was determined. With some amount of difficult she forced out the words "Trust me" and an outstretched bloodied hand.

Ruby gazed into those confident hazel eyes for a moment and lost any train of thought. Unsure of what exactly just happened she took the ice cream girls hand. This was the first time her partner had freely offered such physical contact. However her happiness was cut short as she felt herself pulled forwards and down.

Together they fell.

* * *

 **AN: Thank you all for your support! Next week I start my semester so the chapters might get a bit thinner or they'll take probably around the same amount of time this one did. Anyways I hope you have a nice day and you enjoyed this! If you did please be sure to review, and if you didn't please tell me what I can do to improve!**


	7. Insomnia

Weiss opened her eyes in disappointment once more. The comfort of her old bed was surprisingly uncomfortable compared to the dorms at beacon. It was also isolated, cold, and quiet, all the things needed for restful sleep...or at least that's what she thought when she had initially arrived there.

Rolling over Weiss tried the usual techniques, the cool side of the pillow, the empty side of the bed, varying amount of layers, but nothing lasted long. Relinquishing the thought of sleep for the moment she pushed herself up and onto the cold tile floor. Perhaps some midnight drink or snack may alleviate the insomnia.

At first Weiss had told herself it was because she hadn't been home in so long. Her next reason was the stress of finding good staff to hire on top of the anxiety of facing her father. But now that everything had died down, the staff was content in their population, father was as approving as he could be for her independent choice, there shouldn't be a reason to keep waking up. To not be able to fall back asleep.

As Weiss reached the door she momentarily blanked on her reason for leaving her bed. With a sluggish shake of her head she remembered her slightly parched throat. After too long of a moment Weiss felt disgusted with herself. Intellect was something she prided herself on and being this forgetful was appalling, even if it was the result of sleep deprivation.

She wasn't even putting the time she couldn't sleep to use. Corporate economics, Dust processing, advanced dueling stances, all lay untouched on her bookshelf. It was only logical to continue her education, it was like...transferring. Without her team...without the brooding one or the obnoxious one or the...sweet one.

They were gone now, beyond contact until another CCT was constructed, she had to grow up. She had to be independent, strong, and... Weakly Weiss realized if she actually pushed herself any harder she might look worse than Blake did when she refused to sleep.

Vaguely Weiss had a strange inclination that there was something wrong about the hallways in which she walked, but her tired mind couldn't fathom exactly what. It wasn't until Weiss had walked for several more minutes that she noticed what was going on. The hallway had turned ever so slightly, and gradually the floor melded into the wall and eventually the ceiling in an ongoing helix.

Unamused that her dreaming mind would bring her somewhere so mundane Weiss while at the same time struggling with obvious realness that was this hallway. Of course it couldn't be, gravity didn't work that way...unless there was gravity dust involved, which may make more sense considering the scratchy carpet underfoot, the stale air, and the general normal stimulus of being awake.

Still she had to make sure even if it resulted in her looking foolish on some hallway camera.

Weiss brought a hand to her cheek and pinched it, adding a little tug and telling herself to "Wake up." She found that she couldn't stop, her voice continued repeating until it became higher and not her own.

Suddenly Weiss opened her eyes to find Ruby playfully pinching her cheek.

"Wake uppp Weeiisss."

Her instincts taking over Weiss pushed herself up, and her partner away from her personal space. "I'm up you dolt!" Before taking in her surroundings. Her leader was partially sitting on her bed within Beacon dormitories. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, Yang was groaning with having to get up. It...wasn't possible. "Wait...am I still...dreaming?"

Ruby looked at her as if she had something amusing drawn on her face. "And you say I'm a dolt." She snorted before continuing "Come on Weiss, you promised we would practice together today! I know it's early, and a weekend, but I'm just really excited!"

"What are you talking about?" Weiss was starting to feel unnerved by the realness of her current situation.

Ruby instantly went with her trump card, adopting the look of a hurt puppy. "You don't remember Weiss? We were going to practice the magnificent duo of Whiterose today. I mean...I don't want to be a bother but-

"No no, Ruby you're not- This doesn't make any sense, Beacon is..." _Destroyed._ Weiss started, it felt so normal. So amazingly normal, and she desperately craved this normalcy. Training with her teammates, not thinking of what would happen after they graduate, not considering her position.

Her team leader seemed confused at her outburst "Beacon's what Weiss? …. Amazing? Way better than I thought it was going to be? Our home?" She let off in rapid fire, each phrase driving another pin of regret and sadness into Weiss's heart.

A thought popped into Weiss's head as she lay there in the midst nostalgia and heartbreak. _If this is a dream...then why shouldn't I enjoy it?_ Smirking Weiss grabbed her leaders hand and jumped out of bed, ready to embrace whatever shenanigans happened until she awoke from this amazing dream.

"W-weiss?!" Ruby stuttered out in surprise at her teammates sudden change of mood.

"You're right. An early start would be optimal for training together."

Instantly Ruby's eyes lit up with happiness, "EeeeYay! I'll be right back with Crescent Rose!" And just like that Ruby disappeared in a flurry of petals.

In the short moment Weiss had to herself in their old dormitory she decided to interact with her other teammates. It had been much too long.

"Good morning Yang!" Weiss relished the noncommittal groan she got in response, it was so lifelike! "Good morning Blake." She continued after Yang rolled over for what would probably be another hour of sleep.

Blake tilted her head from her book for a moment to respond, not just respond but smirk as if something was funny. "You seem awfully...happy Weiss, excited for your date today?"

For a moment it seemed strange to not think of her blue haired crush in this scenario. But Weiss quickly waved it away as she was too busy enjoying the normalcy of her team to think about anyone else. "No, it's just...a really nice day today." _Wait-_

"Okay I got her let's go!" Ruby suddenly appeared holding onto her treasured weapon in one hand and grabbed onto Weiss's hand before any further conversation could occur.

"Wait wait! I haven't even gotten dressed yet! And I need to grab Myrtenaster first! A-and you're still in your pajamas too!" Weiss argued before her leader could drag her any further.

"Uuugghhhhh fine I'll get dressed but you hurry up too!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and strolled over to grab her clothing and weapon. She couldn't exactly change until Ruby was out of the bathroom. Well...she could, it was just a dream afterall but the thought of being indecent, even in front of just a sleeping Yang and reading Blake was too embarrassing.

As they were once again alone Blake continued their conversation. "I'm surprised Weiss, ditching Neptune to go out with Ruby. What will Yang think?" She prodded with a joking smile.

"W-well our teamwork and school are the most important things right now so it only makes sense." Weiss defended, although she had no idea where or when this date had come from. Which in turn gave the heiress a strange feeling of uncertainty, even now that she knew about the 'date' she was more excited and willing to train with Ruby than go out with the Blue haired adonis.

In response Blake simply rolled her eyes before returning to reading.

"Uhm Weeiiisss, could you come in here for a minute" Ruby called from the bathroom, with a tone that suggested something embarrassing had gone wrong.

Upon entering the room Weiss found a mostly clothed and tied up Ruby. Literally, by some extraordinary means of idiocy she had managed to tie not just one, but both hands to her corset. A fact not lost on Weiss Schnee.

"Can you get some scissors, or Myrtenaster or something, I'm...kinda stuck." Ruby refused to make eye contact as her face lit in shame.

"How did you even manage that?!" Weiss's eyebrows threatened her forehead out the of the sheer impossibility before her.

"I don't know! I was excited and I was trying to be really fast so you could get dressed and then I went to grab my cloak and my hands were stuck and I pulled them but that just made it worse and now I can't get them free and-"

"Okay okay, I'll help." Weiss cut off her leader before she continued to ramble and give the heiress a headache. Leaning around the bound girl Weiss opened the mirror of the bathroom to retrieve the tiny scissors within. As she returned to her original position Weiss noticed that the darker haired girl had a red tinge over her cheeks.

Oblivious to the reason and their recent closeness Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Y-yeah, y'know just being unbearably awkward like usual." Ruby let out a nervous chuckle at herself.

Weiss rolled her eyes as she snipped the overly tightened red fabric that held her team leaders hands hostage. "There, free."

"Yay! Thank you Weiss." Ruby jumped into a mock victory pose before she noticed the sudden looseness of her corset. "Awh...do you mind if we stop in Vale today? I don't have any extra." She pouted at she halfheartedly flicked the cut ribbon.

With a sigh that suggest she cared more than she actually did, Weiss lamented. "Fine, but we're not going to make an unnecessary stops when we're there."

"Thank you Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed with a tightly gripped hug before disappearing out of the room.

* * *

Strangely the day continued at a normal, albeit energetic pace. The trip to Vale, the lunch at a diner, the eventual training, nothing seemed... impossible or fictional. It all felt real, which in itself was a scary thought because it was also...hopeful. The thought of going back to the Schnee Corporation felt just as far away as it had when she had lived here, in Beacon. In fact it was starting to feel like she had never left. Save for the fact that this had to be several months ago, she remembered Ruby having more team work coordination than this. Which just meant a little more effort on her end but it wasn't all too difficult to read the bundle of energy anymore.

Ruby fell to her back in the grass of beacons green with a small "oomph". "Ah you were great Weiss, who knew we'd make such a great team! I mean after I bumped into you-

"Tripped" Weiss corrected as she walked over to her partially exhausted teammate.

"-..right, After I Tripped into you and uh...spilled your belongings...

"And caused a small explosion" Weiss continued for her, it was amusing to watch the others expression.

"...Oohhh will you ever forgive me?!" Ruby moaned in exaggerated discomfort, rolling back and forth in the grass of Beacon.

"I already did you dolt." Weiss replied in stride as she sat next to her. The sun was starting to wane across the horizon and provided for a strangely relaxed atmosphere granted her company. The ground was still warm from the day, but the annoying bugs had yet to leave the forest or wherever they hid during the days.

"Really?!" Ruby nearly squeaked, as if Weiss had never shown her any comfort or forgiveness...granted if this was as far back as...well suffice to say she may not have at this point. Besides the kindness she had shown today but... Oh she was over thinking it. She answered with a simple nod before relaxing back into silence.

The sky burned and in the darker aspects of the forest small fireflies began to illuminate it's depths. A few other teams lazed about, however it seemed it was predominately couples that sat together to watch this natural beauty. A few pointed at the first stars or the shine of the insects at times, leaning together in a very personal manner.

"Y'know...you've been acting really weird today Weiss." Ruby suddenly remarked in a more serious tone, in a flash she had seemed to pop up off of the ground and was observing Weiss with a keen eye.

Weiss responded with a simple look, one that told the other she was reading into things.

"I'm serious! You've never been this nice before! And you even apologized during training when-

"You don't need to bring that up" Weiss struggled not to shake her head, but it had been the right thing to do, it was her fault. Entirely. Besides the other girl was skittish enough without yelling at her more. Plus it would do nothing but ruin the good mood of the day.

"But Weiss..."Ruby argued for a second before relenting, letting their conversation return to silence. The stern look upon her companions face was enough to dissuade her from prodding at her recent change in behavior too much. However after a few moment she obviously had something to say, but instead continued to twiddle her thumbs.

Weiss sat for a moment trying to ignore her, perhaps focus on the clean air of Beacon, or the architecture she had never truly appreciated before... But it was growing insistent and Ruby still wasn't talking. It was clear she was going to have to ask, otherwise she may never stop. "What is it now Ruby?"

The young team leader opened and closed her mouth a few times trying to find the right words for a moment, clearly embarrassed. "W-well...okay I'll just say it. You're the most coordinated and elegant person I know and while you're still in a nice helping mood do you think …. you might be able to uh … teach me how to dance before, well...y'know."

So this was before the school dance Weiss noted before rolling her eyes. The small bit of warmth she felt from the flattery was nice but it didn't matter, this whole thing didn't matter if it was a dream...although she had never had a dream where she actually felt everything, the hits against her aura in training, the soft grass between her fingertips currently...

"Sure." It slipped out from her mouth without really thinking. It sounded like a fond idea, teaching her partner how to properly dance. Although it would be a bit disappointing when it never happened Weiss supposed. It was a dream after all.

"Eeeeee! Yes! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Ruby instantly launched herself onto her older teammate in a tight embrace.

The two rolled in the grass for a moment at the momentum from the shorter girl before stopping. Weiss felt a bit self-conscious at the sudden contact, especially since they were outside, in public! But it was heartwarming to watch Ruby be so excited about something, like watching someone open a present from another.

"I get it, just let go!" Weiss finally rebelled from her captor before too many people looked over at the scene. "And before you ask, no I'm not going to help you tonight, it's almost time for bed."

"Awwhhhh fine." Ruby pouted after letting go of her companion.

How she still had this energy was beyond Weiss, but some part of her still found it endearing.

It was strange sitting in bed and waiting for sleep in a dream. The walk back to the dormitory was just as she remembered it, even the grumbled mixture of goodnight sentiments and teasing as her team settled in their respective beds. It was oh so familiar, and so real, and...heartbreaking.

The prospective future, or what is in fact the present, poisoned the beauty of this normal night. It bit along the edges of the happiness and nostalgia, making Weiss yearn for this reality. She had been so stupid before, to take this all for granted. It had simply been working on assignments and tolerating her team, until she actually started to enjoy their company...just a little bit. But never had she honestly thought, that any of these dull moments in which she previously wished to be productive, to get rid of, would be the ones she sought after.

Weiss turned over to the cooler side of her bed trying to let go of this dream. Strangely exhaustion fueled her slow climb, and before she knew it the bed was much more comfortable than she remembered.

Opening her eyes Weiss found herself tired, she felt as if she had barely gotten any sleep. She also found one of the newly hired maids delivering her freshly cleaned and folded clothes. The girl was a slight one, with a pale complexion and a mess of blonde hair. Strangely, despite her position, she kept it up in a messy bun with a pair of luxurious looking hairsticks.

"Good Morning Miss Schnee." She managed to curtsy as she noticed her employer's wakeful state.

"Good morning" Weiss replied on reflex. It must have been her time with her teammates that had changed her so, before she had barely acknowledged any of the staff. She preferred isolation to contact, as it just reminded her of that position, put aside on an altar. Not seen as a person but as a Schnee.

Apparently taking this as a sign to proceed with some semblance of a conversation the maid continued. "I want to thank you again for your gracious charity." Her voice seemed sincere and fragile, and so airy that it may disappear should a loud gust come through.

"I'm sorry-" Weiss responded in a standard she had practiced so many times. It seemed to be the most polite way to tell someone that you didn't remember their name. Although in her case she barely remembered the girl before her.

"O-oh!" She caught on quickly with a spike in pitch, "Aisling Iris Miss."

The name seemed slightly familiar, she must have been one of the applicants Weiss hired personally. Strangely Weiss didn't remember the exact encounter, then again she was having difficulties remembering the simpler things lately. Mustering up the strength, Weiss tried to not sound too generic in her response of welcome.

"Well I'm sure you deserve the position Aisling, now if you'll excuse me." She gently took the clean apparel and headed towards the bathroom to change. A part of her felt she had been rude to the poor girl, while at the same time she couldn't help it. She was a Schnee in these rooms and she had a standard to live up too, being too friendly with someone of such a position was dangerous. It was exploitable as father had always put it. It was better to forget about the situation and move on to more important things.

In her fatigue fueled haze Weiss felt like she was forgetting something important.

But as she slipped off her pajamas and slipped into more formal day wear she couldn't put her finger on it. As she powdered her face and prepared the Schnee mask for her inevitable contact with him, she couldn't remember. Returning to her room revealed...nothing at first glance. The bookshelf was straight, all volumes accounted for, her bed was now made, perfect and pristine. However the feeling refused to subside. She checked the drawers of her desk, the vanity, even under her pillow, but there was nothing each time.

Lowering herself to the ground Weiss peered under her bed but found nothing but strange cleanliness. However just as she was about to give up, she noticed it. A fallen letter, barely sticking out from in between the wall and the bed. It was possible it was missed while cleaning, but... she couldn't remember a letter in the first place.

Crawling on the floor was a bit embarrassing, and slightly degrading but...curiosity called. Pulling the scrap of paper free from in between the wall and the bed, Weiss noticed it had already been opened. Strangely it held no official insignia upon the cover and was addressed simply to Weiss and not .

The corporate princess stood for a moment debating on looking at the contents of the envelope. Which in itself was an absurd notion. There was nothing wrong with looking at a letter addressed to herself within the confines of her own room... But it still felt...off. Her gut told her something sinister was lurking within the confines, something hidden that she had forgotten.

Slowly Weiss pulled part of the letter out but before she could read anything there was a polite knock on her door. Her stomach flipped in strange panic, as if she had been doing something forbidden.

"J-just a moment" The heiress called as she quickly stashed the letter in between the layers of her bed. There was a nagging feeling to keep it safe, hidden from outside observers, but the origin of that feeling was lost.

" wishes to talk to you in the dining hall Miss." The same airy voice called from beyond the woodwork.

"Alright, I'll be down in a moment." Weiss replied as she tried to make sure her room was just as it was when she entered before leaving. The letter could wait, leaving her father waiting was a much more terrifying thought than whatever could be written in there.

* * *

He sat at the head of the table as always while she sat somewhere between the middle and the middle left. It was a stifling experience to constantly maintain ones posture, to only eat in the smallest of bites without a single mistake. It was also one that Weiss was already very intimate with, however the feeling of anxiety around him never changed.

The smooth dark wooden table that could seat much more than was ever needed never changed. It never seemed to age or become scratched as the years passed, a testament to the cleaning staff. The same could be said for the ornate glassware that was somehow acceptable to eat upon, that, when compared to even the fanciest of cups or plates in Vale, seemed to be of museum quality. The room itself had changed little besides the company kept within, depending on the year the most senior of the staff always stayed near the doorway, ready to shepherd any further wishes to the staff should the Schnee's desire.

It was all so much the same, such that Weiss once more felt the years blend together. It was slightly painful to think about how little had changed since her childhood. Especially considering her previous goals, particularly the ones she had established upon arriving at Beacon.

"It's good to see you in a proper dress." He remarked, his statement holding nothing but the absence of disappointment.

For a moment Weiss felt a modicum of shame. She couldn't remember exactly when she had started this, trying to blend in once again. To live in relative ease instead of constant anxiety and fear. Maybe it was when she started having this insomnia? Maybe that's why she had this insomnia? Either way it didn't entirely matter, she wasn't doing anything that was unexpected so it didn't matter...

Again Weiss felt a slight spike of irritation at herself for being so scattered. She just...needed rest. More rest than she was getting. A lot more.

However another side of her argued that she was simply blaming her shortcomings on the situation. Finding an excuse to not be held responsible for her actions.

"I'm happy to wear one." Weiss finally managed to get out, distracting her tired mind from any more self analysis. The breakfast on her plate seemed barely appetizing at the moment, but it was still something to focus on.

"Good." He took a moment to eat a slight bit more of his meal before continuing. "I expect you to attend to yourself in a similar fashion next week. There is to be a charity ball."

"Of course." Why wasn't she fighting him on this? She didn't want to go to any more dances or parties she wanted to fight. She wanted to protect, she wanted to be back at Beacon. No matter how impossible that was, no matter how shattered that dream.

"Perfect, And don't forget, there will be many suitors there. So please be on your best behavior." He turned his plate slightly to the right. A sure sign that this was almost over, that soon she would be left to her own devices once more.

A sick feeling settled into Weiss's stomach. She had tried to forget about the arrangements he had wanted her to partake in. The corporate ties that he had tried to institute. Still it was the only time she had to properly socialize now, even if most of those only saw her as a Schnee at best, and a valuable asset at worst, she tried to tell herself. To make it seem like she wanted to, but she couldn't get out of the disappointment. Mainly in herself for already agreeing to come, for being unable to fight him anymore. Another pang of want echoed through Weiss as she longed for her team once more.

As they finished their meals the cold winds of Atlas blew from outside the double story window on the north wall. Occasionally flecks of snow would catch on the glass before melting slowly. Weiss had to be careful not to get too lost in the spectacle, her Father ate faster than she did, the only reason they finished reasonably close in the past was because he would be the one who talked.

Today, Weiss wished to finish before her Father. For the simple reason that she felt the same ominous instinct as the moment she almost opened that letter starting to creep up her spine. There was something about this room, or maybe this situation that was...dangerous. Yet she couldn't put her finger on it. Simply put it was a gut feeling to run, that she was being stalked by some dangerous animal or grim.

So much so that Weiss found herself on edge. Her wary and sleep deprived mind grabbing at any possible lead. The scratching of the knives on plate. The howl of the snowstorm outside. The steady breathing of the rooms three inhabitants. Everything was so foggy and yet at times too loud and clear.

Her head nodded for a moment, just long enough for a pleasant warmth to encompass her being for but a few seconds before Weiss snapped back to reality. Examining her plate she quickly took the last required bites while leaving an equally appropriate amount before excusing herself.

"Was everything to your satisfaction miss." Bishop, the butler slash waiter asked as Weiss moved to walk out of the large wooden door he now held ajar.

"Yes, thank you. And I do not require anything else." The heiress cut him off before he could ask. She needed to get away from that stifling room, away from him. And she needed to do something to wake up a bit more, be more focused. Perhaps a bit of training with Myrtenaster or maybe some coffee from the staff would do the trick? Anything to relieve the heaviness beneath her eyes and the strange disconnect from her body.

In her haze Weiss turned the corner towards the kitchen sharply. She neglected to pay attention to any sounds or signs that someone may be right around the corner. As a result the heiress ran into a familiar maid, sending both of them to the ground.

"I'm so so sorry!" Aisling quickly pulled herself up and apologized profusely as she offered her help towards her fallen employer. Towels were spread upon the floor, likely just cleaned and on there way to a restroom or bath.

Anger boiled within the heiress for a moment before she watched the fear on the young girls face. It reminded her a bit of Ruby the first time they had met. It would be unreasonable to scold her too much, although it also wouldn't do to admit to such wrong doings when in such close proximity to him.

"I-it's fine. Just, don't let it happen again." Weiss Schnee forced out, her words unsatisfying on either spectrum. However she still took the others hand to right herself.

"O-of course! I won't! Thank you." The poor blonde bowed and averted her eyes. She had made a simple mistake, and if Weiss had never left this place it was safe to assume she would have been fired then and there.

However Weiss had left this place, she had made friends and learned something close to patience and empathy. She was no longer as heartless as her reputation led others to believe. "What...What were you doing in such a rush anyways?" Weiss asked, hoping to thaw the frozen atmosphere that has settled as the maid picked up the fabric.

"Oh, I was just on my way to put these...clean...towels..." Her speech slowed as she noticed a minuscule amount of dirt embedded in one of the towels. A look of sadness and anxiousness crept onto the lithe girls face. She would surely be yelled at for such a transgression, wasting resources and work, perhaps the head maid might dock her pay for the day.

Suddenly feeling more guilty than she should Weiss had a small internal conflict. She shouldn't care about the help, but she couldn't help it. Blake had forced her to see that the things her company did, the unspeakable things that she shut out and refused to believe would happen under her dads care, had been true. On top of that she truly did want to help others, and this would be directly the opposite if this continued.

"It's fine I was just going to take a bath." Weiss lied as to ease the other girls state.

"But Miss." She half-halfheartedly protested, it was partially her fault.

"You can take them back to be cleaned after I'm done with them." Weiss overruled her while taking the towels. She was the one in charge, and she had already decided to spare the person she had hired from embarrassment. Especially when said embarrassment was entirely her fault for being unobservant. Plus it would look bad if one of the people she hired personally made such pitiful mistakes so early into their employment. Besides a bath could be nice after this already long day.

Turning around and leaving the maid to her duties, Weiss expertly made her way to the large bath. The tile was cool to the touch and gave just enough abrasiveness to count towards traction if one was wet. The lights played on the columns and clear waters of the central bath.

Quietly Weiss slipped out of her clothes and into the lovely warmth. After turning on a few warmer faucets and pouring a sufficient amount of soap to start a layer of bubbles, Weiss finally relaxed. The Heiress's hair drifted around her, freed from the usual high class styles that were expected of her now. Laying back on the comfortable seat, the warmth and her exhaustion quickly overtook her.

Slowly Weiss opened her eyes to pale moonlight and darkness. Above her, the familiar sight of her teammates bed sank in and out of the dark. Sitting up, Weiss observed her dormitory room once more with something between relief and confusion. Grabbing the scroll from her bedside revealed that it was two in the morning, a perfect 4 hours from when she had gone to bed...and woken up...

But...that made too much sense. Her dream world and the real world couldn't retain such synchonisity... Then again she couldn't remember a lot of what happened when she was back in Atlas... No, that was definitely real. It didn't matter that she could feel the slightly scratchy blankets or hear her teammates breathing or taste the dryness in her mouth, or even smell the homey smell of Beacon.

She just...needed to wake up, perhaps splashing some water in her face would do the trick. Quietly as to not disturb her teammates Weiss crept through their room and into the bathroom. Slowly she turned the handle and brought a handful of cold water to her face, which only succeeded in making her jolt slightly from the coldness. Another handful did nothing but wet her face more than it already was.

Weiss simply stood there looking at her dripping reflection for another minute as she tried to figure out what to do next. Hope and fear were intermingling much too closely to be comfortable, it was giving the heiress some difficulty breathing. She needed to get out of here, but she wanted to stay. It was stupid to doubt the months of memories between this point and her life at Atlas, but she also didn't want those to be true.

Weiss wasn't exactly sure how she got there, but she found herself on a balcony on the upper floors of Beacon. The mild night air held a refreshing humidity that clung to ones skin. Above, the shattered remnants of the Moon slowly made their way across the sky. It was a familiar sight, calming to say the least. So realistic in it's puzzle like appearance, with those shards of light that should fit together perfectly.

"Hey" Blakes quiet voice permeated the night. It clung to the air like the humidity and left an unanswered question. Without an answer, the faunus slowly walked up to Weiss's side. "It can be quite beautiful sometimes." She remarked, trying to start some semblance of conversation.

"I..." But...she couldn't be real, no matter how perfect her representation of Blake. This was just a figment of her dreamworld. Nothing should matter here, but it still seemed in ill taste to wave her off. To ignore her or somehow tell her she wasn't real.

Blake figured she needed to prod a bit more to get what was bugging the ice queen. "I know we don't usually see eye to eye Weiss. But, I'm your teammate. So, if there's anything that's-

"I-I'm scared." She couldn't bear to make eye contact, but it was the truth. Something that seemed slightly easier to admit in this dreamworld. However it seemed the faunus hadn't expected such a confession as silence reigned for the next few moments. "I'm scared of going back to Atlas." She continued at her partners silence.

"Weiss... you're part of our team now. There's no way we'd let you go back without a fight." Her tone was honey sweet but still sincere. "What brought this up?"

It felt so good...so good to be wanted and cared for like this. It was heartbreaking, that they were separated now. "I...I had a nightmare. The grim destroyed beacon, and... Yang was...hurt. And you just, ran away, and then I had to go home."

"Well...that sounds like quite the nightmare Weiss. But, that's all it was. There's no way Ozpin or Glynda or the scores of hunters and huntresses who are training here would let that happen."

"And you really believe that?" Her tone felt empty, maybe it was harsh. It was hard to tell. A look of second guessing flashed over Blake's face. It was clear she didn't entirely believe in their safety, but it was also clear that she was trying her best to comfort her teammate.

"I'm sorry I'm...tired. Thanks Blake." Weiss apologized for her indiscretion before walking past her and back towards her bed. Hopefully if she fell asleep she would return to what really happened, like last time.

In a single blink the warmth of her blankets was replaced by the warmth of the waters. Opening her eyes Weiss examined the bath. She was definitely back home, no matter how much worse that home was from her dreams. With a sigh of regret Weiss sank deeper into the bath, she wished she had been more open with her teammates then. Perhaps if they had all just been a little closer they wouldn't have ended up scattered to the edges of civilization.

After cleaning her hair and washing herself properly Weiss stepped out of the bath and dried herself with the cleanest of the towels before putting her clothing back on. Following this she dropped the offending towels through the laundry shoot before leaving back to her room.

Now that she had no other plans, the curiosity that had been dulled earlier was burning bright once more. She locked the door, she checked her closet and personal bathroom, entirely alone. Perfect. Drawing the envelope out from in between the mattress of the bed she unfolded the letter with a fluttering heart and shaky hands.

 _ **I need your help**_

 _ **-Cinder Fall**_

 _ **ps. Don't trust the maid, she's dangerous**_


	8. Prologue 3: Blake Belladonna

Blake rolled over once more, the scratchy bits of hay reflecting in the moonlight to give a pale mist to her surroundings. Splintering wooden rails kept the hay quartered from the rest of the equally aging barn, a few horses slept in opposite stalls, sometimes huffing or neighing in their dreams. Thankfully it was late enough that even the usual annoying insects of the day seemed to be sleeping.

It hadn't been too since she had slept in a dormitory with friends, teammates, but it had been long enough that those memories felt distant. Especially in the reality of the fall of beacon and the return of Adam. Although she wouldn't have it any other way, definitely not. It was wake up call, the reality check, the slap in the face that she deserved for being stupid.

The faunus knew that one day her past would catch up to her. That running was the only option for her. That She wasn't capable of anything close to a normal life. Not anymore. It hurt to admit that, it hurt more than the fake hope she had let herself believe whilst training within those walls. Of course the friendship, the comradrie, the team, was too good to be true in the end. Therefore it was only reasonable to leave them, to save them from herself rather than enable further danger upon them.

Especially when so much of it was her fault. Adam, the White Fang, they were things that she couldn't escape. Things that would continually haunt her no matter how far and how fast she ran. Even now, laying in the cleaner portion of hay, hiding in some farmers barn that knew nothing of her plight, she was not safe. Because of the actions she had committed, she would never be safe.

A part of her had hope at one point, that RWBY could triumph over her past. That they would stand together and she could finally stop running. But that hope was cut short the moment Yang fell in a single swing to him. There would be no turning back because turning back meant the end.

Which even now Blake was terrified to confront. She had never wanted her story to end up this way. She had so much hope at the beginning, for a better future, an equal future for Faunus and Human alike. But slowly, bit by bit that had crumbled away. Slipping through her fingers like dust, however instead giving way to some other opportunity, it branded her being. Her very sinful existence was a problem for anyone close, but even still. Blake was too scared of stopping, of not running anymore.

* * *

Days past in conjuncture with the changing scenery as Blake continued to flee, hopping trains and hitchiking alike. Town by town, night by night, never staying in one place too long. That's not to say that she didn't contemplate her position though. She did try, try to think of a way to fix this. But the only answer that ever returned was an impossible one.

She would have to go back. Return to the White Fang and take control. It was the only way to stop the atrocities, to help her teammates, and hopefully stop Cinder. But saying it was so much easier than the reality. The reality that she would have to kill Adam, her ex-partner, her old confidant.

This in turn presented the problem that he was not only stronger, but as evidence by their previous meeting, fully capable of taking her life as well. His hesitation only seemed to be born through the need to the inflict further pain upon her being. _What happened to you Adam?_ He had started changing even before she had left White Fang. But...Blake never thought he would have become so spiteful, so malicious, so sadistic towards her of all people.

It hurt.

More than she thought it would. Blake had expected his anger, his animosity, but rage? Bloodlust? It was animistic. It wasn't him. But it obviously was, no one else has that semblance, that sword, that red hair, or that strong voice.

"You alright hun?" The nondescript waitress asked quietly from the side of Blake's tan seated booth.

Snapping out of her reverie and noticing the wetness around her golden eyes, Blake quickly wiped the evidence away. "Yeah, I'll be fine." It wasn't as if some stranger could help. This was her problem.

"Well if ya need anything don't hesitate ta ask." She offered to no avail before continuing to another table.

She had been staring outside the window alongside her booth too long, gazing past the autumn trees and nimbus clouds. Observing none of the small wooden buildings or townsfolk, simply contemplating her position. However now that she was back, Blake glanced over the small diner she occupied.

It wasn't particularly clean, but it wasn't rundown either. The surfaces were scratched with use but not grimy, the bar wrapped around the center kitchen where several portly men flipped and chopped meals.

Sitting at other tables and booths were more people, more humans. In fact it seemed that she was the only faunus in the establishment.

Under her over sized bow Blake's ears twitched. Outside her window showed a similar story, a barbershop, a thrift store, but the only customers that walked to and fro were the human variety. The coffee in her stomach suddenly felt more acidic as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. This wasn't somewhere to be herself, this wasn't somewhere to hide, a single wrong move could spell danger.

"Excuse me, could I get my check please?" She needed to get out of this town, it was stifling.

"Of course."

It may have only taken a moment but the cozy diner suddenly seemed like a wasp nest waiting to be broken open. Every glance held the possibility of violence, of contempt, of racial discrimination. If one of them could piece together her golden eyes and the large bow then it would start a chain reaction, igniting the people around them. Of course it was only a possibility, but it was one that Blake had seen far too often to simply play ignorant to it's occurrence.

She left slightly faster than an average walk, pushing the door open with a familiar ring of the overhead bell. Blake had left what amounted to a large tip simply because she had not waited for the change, hopefully it would give the woman some comfort.

"Hey Miss." A gruff voice called from behind, his tone held a certain authority that ordered her halt.

Call it womanly intuition or animal instinct but Blake knew that this meeting would not end well. She slowly turned around to find the most cliché person to live in such a rural town. He kept his large hat low, obscuring his face, but the tattered coat and tarnished shine on his breast showed his legal authority. It was strange to come from the city to find small towns still had a sheriff but even still Blake hadn't ever expected one to be so...committed to the stereotype. Either that or she didn't give enough credit to some of the books she read.

"You got a license for those weapons on your side?" He asked politely but there was no point in stopping a passerby unless he wanted something. And going by stereotypes he was either looking for a reason to harass her or a fight.

"I'm a huntress...in training." Blake replied readying her aura and semblance for any conflict. She had no proof of either but, perhaps he would believe the truth.

"Ah is that so? The last I heard Beacon was taken over by the grim, all the students either went to mistral or to some private apprenticeship." He paused for a moment. "And I haven't seen anyone matching a proper hunters appearance for a while around here."

"Look I'm already leaving, you don't have to do anything." Blake tried to reason, her fight or flight instincts growing by the second.

"I know." He paused again, whether it was for dramatic effect or to make sure she got the point Blake wasn't sure. "Reckoned from the moment you walked into to town you was running from something, just couldn't put my finger on what." He took a lazy could steps back and forwards, kicking up imaginary dust upon the sidewalk. "Now in my experience people only running from two things, grim, or something they did."

"So, what? You're going to arrest me on a hunch?" Blakes hand held ready over Gambol Shroud as she took a cautious step backwards.

"Well I wouldn't be that hasty Blake."

Adrenalin shot through the her system, golden eyes grew wide, in haste Blake drew her weapon and dashed forwards. Right before striking she quickly used her semblance to feint to the right and behind her target. Swinging the flat of Gambol Shroud almost like a shovel, she aimed for the mans head. Hopefully it would be enough to disorient him and let her escape.

However he reacted faster than her with a swift turn, landed an elbow directly in her stomach, knocking her back a few feet.

Blake unintentionally coughed and bowed over as pain split through her abdomen, bringing to light the uncomfortable mass of scar tissue that permeated through her from that fateful night.

Before Blake could recover the man followed up with a roundhouse kicked.

In panic the huntress in training blocked the attack best she could raising her weapon protectively. The man was stronger though, pushing the metal cut-off claymore into her chest and sending her flying to the ground.

As the man advanced Blake took a breath of determination before flipping herself backwards and onto her feet, in the process sheathing her weapon. Glancing over her immediate environment Blake took note of the nearby balconies as well as the pedestrians whom stood on the outskirts of the action. Her hand twitched as she contemplated going for gunblade on her back.

It would be dangerous to the innocent people to continue fighting the lawman but he seemed determined, although he had yet to draw his weapon. He simply stood waiting for Blake to make the next move, or perhaps she was waiting for him. Either way what broke the tension was not the two combatants but a shockingly familiar voice.

"Dad!"

The situation quickly instantly deflated as a brunette bunny faunus walked out of the crowd. Amusingly she held a bag of groceries in which a smaller bag of coffee and a few carrots could be seen peeking out. However with the attitude she held held the foodstuffs they may as well have been a weapon.

"I told you to invite Blake if you saw her! Not to try and arrest her!" She yelled at the older man before turning towards the dark haired cat faunus. "I'm so sorry Blake."

"Velvet?" Blake questioned, it seemed almost absurd to run across another ex-member of beacon academy as far as she had traveled. Additionally it seemed a bit out of place that the bunny girl had so much concern for her. Blake considered her a casual acquaintance at best. Then again that was more than she considered most people.

"What's going on?" Even with the addition of the friendly face Blake didn't let her guard down. It still wasn't safe, and she was still ready to run.

"Well... after Beacon and the CCT were destroyed I knew that my dad wouldn't be happy staying at home without any news, so I came out here." Velvet explained with a swish of her bags and slightly movement of her oversized ears.

"The helps not bad either." The man whom Blake had previously been squaring off against commented as he tipped off his hat. Without the concealing garment it was apparent the two were related what with his equally tawny hair and floppy rabbit ears.

Before Blake could question what he meant by the statement Velvet awkwardly explained. "It's a small town, and there's not many to protect it from the grim and well... Coco and Fox and Yatsuhashi refused to break up the team so we're all staying at my house annd stopping any grim related trouble for now. But that's not really important." She stopped for breath and hoisted the groceries to a more comfortable position before continuing. "Look it's a really long story, so could you accompany me back home for lunch.

...and maybe give me a hand with these?"


End file.
